Alan Shearer blasts ‘Pathetic’ Newcastle during Man City clash

Newcastle United faced a difficult challenge at the Etihad Stadium, entering the halftime break 3-0 down after Omar Marmoush delivered a devastating first-half hat-trick.

Heading into the game, the Magpies carried optimism, hoping to finally end their poor run at Eastlands and claim their first-ever Premier League win at the venue.

The inclusion of Dan Burn in the starting lineup, despite recovering from a recent groin injury, added to their confidence. However, the match took a dire turn, with Manchester City asserting control early on and Newcastle struggling to respond.

The opening minutes saw Newcastle struggle to find their footing, allowing Manchester City to dominate the tempo. This dominance culminated in a remarkable 14-minute spell where Marmoush scored three times, effectively ending Newcastle’s chances of making history or surpassing their opponents in the league standings.

Eddie Howe’s side appeared disjointed and lacked the aggression necessary to challenge the reigning champions. As the first half concluded, the Magpies retreated to the dressing room, visibly shaken by their performance, while Manchester City strolled off comfortably in control.

Fans and pundits quickly took to social media to voice their frustration. Newcastle legend Alan Shearer labeled the first-half performance as “pathetic,” expressing his disappointment in a blunt post on X, stating, “Lost every challenge. A pathetic 45 mins from Newcastle.

#MNCNEW.” Similarly, Chris Sutton, providing commentary for BBC Sport, criticized Newcastle’s lackluster display, highlighting their inability to challenge Manchester City effectively.

Sutton noted that while City sat deep toward the end of the half, Newcastle failed to capitalize and seemed completely out of sync, adding that the performance was unexpectedly flat given their recent form.

Eddie Howe responded to the disastrous first-half performance by making two substitutions at halftime. Kieran Trippier and Joe Willock were replaced by Tino Livramento and Lewis Miley, respectively, in an attempt to inject energy and creativity into the team.

These changes brought a slight improvement to Newcastle’s play in the second half, with Miley managing to produce one of their few notable moments—a shot on target that was comfortably saved by Ederson.

Despite the marginal improvement, the damage had already been done, and Manchester City remained largely untroubled for the remainder of the game. Ederson, apart from Miley’s effort, spent most of the second half as a spectator, with Newcastle unable to mount any serious threat.

The loss served as a sobering reminder of the gap that still exists between Newcastle and the Premier League’s elite teams. While the Magpies have shown considerable progress under Howe’s management, performances like this highlight the need for greater consistency and resilience when facing top-tier opposition.

It was a match that began with hope but ended in frustration, leaving Newcastle to regroup and refocus for the challenges ahead.