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“Absoluty Pathetic”- Alan Shearer drops brutally honest verdict as Man City embarrass Newcastle United
Newcastle United were thoroughly beaten by Manchester City on Saturday, leaving Eddie Howe’s hopes of building on recent Carabao Cup and FA Cup victories in tatters.
What was expected to be a pivotal Premier League clash turned into a nightmare as Omar Marmoush netted a hat-trick to hand City a crucial win in the race for the Champions League spots.
Despite injury concerns over Dan Burn and Anthony Gordon, both started, while Sven Botman missed the match as he continues to recover from a knee injury.
One positive for the Magpies was the inclusion of Harvey Barnes on the bench. The winger had been sidelined for the past month after his injury against Bromley.
Newcastle’s defeat also meant they missed the chance to capitalize on Chelsea’s loss to Brighton on Friday, where former Toon player Yankuba Minteh scored twice.
The damage was done in the first half by Pep Guardiola’s side, leaving Newcastle with little opportunity to mount a comeback.
Newcastle legend Alan Shearer, known for his typically supportive stance, expressed his frustration on social media, calling the performance “pathetic.”
Shearer has rarely been this critical of the team, especially after a promising start to the new year that raised expectations for the season.
Following the loss to Fulham earlier in February, Shearer had already mentioned that the team looked “really flat,” and the same could be said for their performance against the champions.
At halftime, he took to X to vent: “Lost every challenge. A pathetic 45 minutes from Newcastle.”
In December, Shearer criticized Newcastle’s “big players” for not stepping up in crucial matches. While he did not specify names, players like Gordon and Bruno Guimaraes were widely believed to be the focus of his comments.
Saturday’s defeat was particularly damaging for Newcastle, as it was a major opportunity to prove themselves against a Man City side that hasn’t been flawless this season. The Etihad has been a tough ground for Newcastle, as they haven’t won there in over a decade, but this game seemed like a chance to challenge the status quo.
Guardiola had singled out Guimaraes as a key threat, but City’s midfield easily neutralized the Brazilian. With Howe targeting European football for next season, the loss risks pushing Newcastle out of the European spots they had been aiming for.
The Magpies now face a difficult stretch of fixtures, including matches against Nottingham Forest and Liverpool, before the Carabao Cup final.
Howe’s side must regroup quickly and focus on bouncing back as they prepare to face former players Elliot Anderson and Chris Wood when they return to St James’ Park next week.
