Shearer blasts 'pathetic' Newcastle

Posted Sunday, February 22, 2015 by Foxsports.com

Alan Shearer claimed Newcastle "didn't fancy it" after their 5-0 mauling at the hands of Manchester City on Saturday.

The Toon Army conceded a penalty inside the first 30 seconds at The Etihad and were 3-0 down after 21 minutes as they succumbed to their biggest defeat since losing 6-0 to Liverpool in April 2013.

"They didn't fancy it", said Shearer on Match of the Day. "They were pathetic. It was embarrassing, from the first minute to the last."

Shearer, who scored 206 goals for Newcastle between 1996 and 2006 and who briefly managed the club in April 2009 when they were relegated to the Championship, added: "I can just imagine the Newcastle team talk before the game - 'Right lads, this team have got Barcelona on Tuesday, let's just keep it tight for the first 10 or 15 minutes. Let's get in among them, put one or two tackles in and see if they fancy it.'

"But after 20 or 30 seconds, that is out of the window. Newcastle just didn't get near them.

"It was just far, far too easy for City. These are top players. You cannot give them time on the ball like that.

"City showed so much hunger to get the ball back, even when they're 3-0 up. I never saw that once from Newcastle. It was pathetic."