Ian Wright issues scathing Newcastle United review as fans want change after Chelsea loss
Sky Sports/Associated PressArsenal legend Ian Wright has criticised Newcastle United for their “very poor” performance after their 3-2 defeat to Chelsea in the Premier League – while fans have called for a major overhaul of the team’s medical department.
Eddie Howe’s side lost the five-goal thriller at Stamford Bridge as goals from Nicolas Jackson, Cole Palmer and Mykhailo Mudryk edged out superb strikes from Alexander Isak and Jacob Murphy either side of half-time.
Adding insult to injury, Newcastle fans also watched on as Anthony Gordon limped off with a knee problem in the 36th minute. Howe has since admitted that it is “not looking too good” for the winger.
Wright: Newcastle “very poor” in Chelsea defeat
Watching on in the Sky Sports studio, Wright did not hold back as he gave a damning review of the Magpies’ efforts during the game.
“I was very surprised that they played a high line and the press wasn’t very good at all,” he said on Monday Night Football. “Especially when you consider Nick Pope is a very good sweeper keeper. Sven Botman coming in had a poor game today.
“I cannot understand why they didn’t play a deep block and frustrate Chelsea more. I was confused by some of the things Eddie was saying [in his post-match interview] because I didn’t see where they had any kind of control.
“I thought [Bruno] Guimaraes was very poor, couldn’t get himself away from the fact that Nicolas Jackson and Conor Gallagher were in and around him. There wasn’t enough movement from him.
“In the main, Tino Livramento tried, but overall, very poor from them.”
Newcastle fans slam injury situation
Newcastle fans, meanwhile, were left dumbstruck after a video emerged of Gordon receiving treatment from a physio for his knee injury before coming off the pitch.
As the medic tried to bend the 23-year-old’s knee, the former Everton man jolted in pain following the movement.
It didn’t take long before fans took to social media to express their disbelief at what they had just seen.
Newcastle have suffered from a crippling run of injuries this season, with as many as 12 players out of the team during December in a damaging period of their season.
Some players have slowly started to return in recent weeks but the footage has done little to reassure supporters that they are over the worst of it.
The result leaves Newcastle sat in 10th place, 15 points adrift of the Champions League places with just 10 games left to play this season.
The Magpies are still one point ahead of Chelsea, however, while Mauricio Pochettino’s side still have a game-in-hand over Newcastle in the Premier League.