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Alan Shearer clashed with Gary Lineker after the Match of the Day presenter suggested that Newcastle looked ‘jaded’ against Tottenham on Sunday. Erik ten Hag came under fire from Manchester United icon Patrice Evra for suggesting the same about his players after their 1-0 defeat to the Magpies a week prior.
Newcastle were battered 4-1 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium following a deflating midway-week defeat to Everton. The Geordies have been iconsistent this season in the Premier League as concerns grow about their lack of depth following a string of injuries to key first-team players.
It doesn’t help that Eddie Howe’s men are juggling Champions League football this season, where, in fairness, they have been fairing considerably better. But Shearer has no interest in entertaining excuses for his former side’s dip in form.
“Oh come on,” Shearer responded said to Lineker when he suggested Newcastle looked ‘jaded’ against Tottenham on the Rest is Football podcast . “In fairness to Eddie Howe and the players, I have never heard one of them say that they are tired. But all I keep hearing is reporters and pundits and presenters saying how tired they must be because the same team have had to play five times in a row.
“Forgive me for thinking anything different but isn’t it their f*****g job to play football? Isn’t that what they get paid for? The one thing that has happened is they are not able to change it in the final 20 minutes. Other than that, the 11 they have put out is really good. The thing they are missing is being able to change it in the last 20, 25 minutes because of the lack of options with the injuries they have had.
“I don’t go along with the tiredness thing and I will never accept that players play too much football because they have the best sports scientists, the best pitches, the best physios, they have the best of everything. They don’t sit on coaches now for six hours, they sit on private jets so I am always reluctant to talk about players playing too much football.
“Without doubt the game is quicker these days but I think the support for the players has travelled a lot faster. Everything is better. I don’t think any of the players will ever see they don’t want to play too much football. If they say do you want a rest today, almost every one of them would say no, they want to play.”
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Ten Hag was blasted by Evra for insisting that his team’s hectic schedule played a part in their 1-0 loss to Newcastle earlier this month. “I know you’re protecting your players but we really feel against Newcastle – Newcastle are also playing in the Champions League against PSG,” Evra told Ten Hag after Man Utd’s 2-1 win over Chelsea.
“So I think saying they were a little bit tired is not an excuse and tonight and I know you won’t comment about it but the players that were on the pitch all of them were like dying for the badge. They were playing as a team.”
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