Newcastle United slipped to their fourth Premier League defeat of the season on Sunday afternoon, with a below-par 3-1 defeat to West Ham United – and Alan Shearer has made a huge claim on Eddie Howe that will make the Magpies boss question his tactics.
An early goal from Newcastle winger Jacob Murphy looked to have plunged West Ham to further ignominy on home turf, where they had failed to pick up a point against anyone in the Premier League so far this season.
However, goals from Lucas Paqueta and Tomas Soucek sandwiched an own goal from Sven Botman to give the Hammers their first three points.
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It means Newcastle have yet to win on the road in the Premier League this season as they barely laid a glove on Nuno Espirito Santo’s side. And Alan Shearer has stated that their current squad may be the worst yet under Eddie Howe.
Alan Shearer on presenting duties in the Premier League
Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images
Alan Shearer says Newcastle are currently the worst they’ve been under Eddie Howe
Newcastle did manage 12 shots overall at the London Stadium, but that was three less than West Ham, despite boasting 63 percent possession.
Furthermore, the Magpies are one of just four sides not to win on their travels, joining Nottingham Forest, Fulham and Wolves in that regard.
And Shearer has picked up on that, stating that their performance in the capital was ‘rotten’, and that their current form is the worst he’s seen Newcastle under Eddie Howe.
Speaking on The Rest is Football, he said: “Seriously, how bad were Newcastle? They were rotten, they were awful.
“It’s as bad as I can remember under Eddie Howe for a long time. They were lazy, they were lethargic, they had no energy.
“Other than maybe [Jacob] Murphy who scored the goal, there wasn’t one player who can come off that pitch and say ‘I did alright today’.
“They were terrible, every single one of them from the goalkeeper to the centre-forward. They were awful and got what they deserved.
“West Ham were the best team by a mile, and it hurts to say that. Even when they went 1-0 up, I thought ‘they’re a bit fortunate here’.”
It’s a far cry from last season, where Newcastle won eight of their 19 Premier League away games to finish fifth and qualify for the Champions League.
Eddie Howe managing Newcastle in the Premier League
Photo by Michael Driver/MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Newcastle’s start to the season has been their worst for a long while
Newcastle have finished in the top seven in each of the past three Premier League seasons, with two Champions League places to boot.
However, they are already six points off a Champions League spot after a poor run of form and a huge upturn will be needed.
Anthony Gordon is struggling with a lack of goal contributions, and although Sandro Tonali is performing consistently, it’s a team game at the end of the day, meaning his most reliable players will need to show up.
Howe will need to turn that around and while he’ll be waiting for players such as Yoane Wissa to return from injury, he has to be doing better with the squad he currently has at his disposal.