**Newcastle United fans were left scratching their heads at what they'd just witnessed on Sunday when Brentford turned the Magpies' 1-0 lead into a 3-1 defeat.**
While it was a baffling enough thing on its own, the fact that the same thing happened seven days earlier on the other side of London is what is truly remarkable.
Newcastle still haven't picked up maximum points on the road in the Premier League this season, as they look completely lost and devoid of answers away from home.
At full-time on Sunday, Newcastle's vice captain, Kieran Trippier, told his teammates to get down the bottom of the pitch and face the fans who travelled all that way to watch that awful display and kept singing their hearts out right til the end.
> [](https://twitter.com/LiamJKennedy23/status/1987611152214560875?s=20)
Not many players would face the tough questions on Sunday
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After the game, [Newcastle World](https://www.newcastleworld.com/sport/football/newcastle-united/kieran-trippier-newcastle-united-premier-league-5394591) approached players for their comments on the latest disaster, with only Jamaal Lascelles and Trippier up to the task.
Trippier apologised profusely for the team's away form and even went out of his way to divert the flak away from manager Eddie Howe.
> “We didn't particularly play great. I don't think either side did, but we came in at half-time 1-0. We all accept and we all know the away form is not up to scratch, but we've been working on it. Nobody's hiding from the fact that we've not won away from home. The supporters have travelled so far and we understand that and we apologise for that, but maybe the break has come at the right time. Who knows? But yes, we've been in this situation before and for sure we'll bounce back 100% and that is without a doubt.
>
> “I wouldn't say any arguments or anything. We've got a lot of experienced players in the dressing room, we've all discussed it. The leadership group, as a team, the manager has fully put a stamp on it. But all we can do as players, it's not the managers, it's the players who need to step up away from home. There's no excuses because the record at home is top, away it's not, but as players we need to take responsibility, which we will do as I’m stood here now speaking to you guys. We'll take it on the chin. Obviously it's not the best way of putting it, but all we can do is apologise to the fans. All I can say is that the lads are giving everything.”
Jamaal Lascelles and Kieran Trippier know what it is to be leaders
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Trippier's leadership is exactly why we need to keep him at the club, beyond the fact that at 35, he can still produce on the field too.
Huge respect to Jamaal Lascelles, too, for facing up to things even though he truly can't be blamed for any of it, given that he's barely featured this season. That's what a real leader does.
Now, we need these leaders to rally the troops, get them fired up and get them to fall in love with playing again. Meanwhile, Eddie Howe needs to have a rethink of his 4-3-3 tactic, which clearly isn't working away from home.