Jamie Carragher believes Eddie Howe "can do no more" at Newcastle and thinks he should consider the England job if Thomas Tuchel leaves in the summer.
Newcastle's winless run away from home in the Premier League extended to 10 games as Brentford came from behind to secure a 3-1 victory at the Gtech.
Heading into the contest, the pressure was on Howe's side off the back of what he described as an "unrecognisable" performance in their last league game against West Ham.
And following this latest setback, Carragher believes Howe has taken Newcastle as far as he can and thinks the England job, if it became available after the World Cup, would be the perfect move for him.
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Carragher said: "He's going to go down whenever he moves on from the club as one of the greatest Newcastle managers. You look at what he did when they were bottom of the table, he came in, in that first season, stabilised things.
"Then his second season to get Champions League football was out of this world and make the League Cup final against [Manchester] United. The next season, another really good season, finished seventh with an exciting team on the front foot.
"And then what we saw last season, winning the League Cup and Champions League football again.
"I've championed Eddie Howe as the next England manager. I think he's a wonderful coach, the best English coach by a million miles.
"I love him to bits. But now that we're four years in, I don't think Eddie Howe can do any more than what he's done at Newcastle.
"I don't see Newcastle winning a Premier League. So I'm not sure there's much more he can do. And that's not just talking on the back of Newcastle being a couple of points outside the relegation zone or questioning the manager in any way. But I think Newcastle have let him down.
"The topsy-turvy nature of the club in terms of sporting directors - all the people behind the scenes.
"It almost feels at times like he's there on his own. The big Saudi investment hasn't really kicked on.
"Now they could question the PSR, the rules - I get all that. But something to me, when I look at how he had to handle the summer with the [Alexander] Isak situation, getting players in late like Yoane Wissa.
"It's been a mess at Newcastle really and when you're talking about one of the greatest managers they've ever had in their history. I think he deserves better.
"And if I'm thinking how Eddie Howe's thinking. If that England job came up in the summer after the World Cup with Tuchel's contract situation.
"I'd be there in a shot. Because as I said, I think he's being let down. And I don't think he can take Newcastle any further than what he's done so far."