The Magpies suffered a poor defeat at the hands of newly promoted Sunderland and Howe said sorry after the defeat
Eddie Howe put his hands up and took ‘full accountability’ for Newcastle United’s horrendous derby defeat to Sunderland at the Stadium of Light.
Howe said sorry TWICE in his post-game Press conference and admitted the players had not carried out what he asked them to do. A “Get into them” sign had been pinned on the wall in the away team dressing room, but Newcastle barely laid a glove on the Black Cats on Wearside.
Only in the dying stages, when Newcastle players were involved in a bust-up with Sunderland’s stars, did the Magpies show any sign of fight.
Howe, speaking at his Press conference after the narrow loss, said: “That is going to sting for a long time. We know that our performance was far from what we needed it to be today.
“Not from a defensive perspective, we defended pretty well today. There were chances for both teams.
“The one big moment goes against us. And it was a bizarre goal, but it happened, and then we weren’t good enough to open them up.”
Howe knew that the defeat would come with a heavier burden than any typical Premier League loss. At the hands of their biggest rivals, who opened up a four-point advantage over the Magpies, it takes on extra significance.
Howe said: “Criticism comes with every defeat. With this one, it will be louder and stronger just because of the game and the importance of the game. We fully acknowledge that. That’s why it hurts so much.
“We are so disappointed for our supporters and sorry for the performance in the lack of goalmouth action and clinical attacking that we try to pride ourselves in during recent seasons. It was not there today.
“For that, we are sorry. Certainly, it was not a lack of effort from the lads.”
Howe was asked if his team had carried out the message on the dressing room wall after pinning up a “get into them” sign on the walls. The head coach said: “We have lots of signs and messages we try to get through to the players -that is one of them.
“It is tough to do consistently. Today, possibly not – it was not the finest delivery of what we want to be.
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