Steve Bruce gave Newcastle United defender Emil Krafth ‘an earbashing’ during their 2-0 Premier League defeat to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, as reported by the Chronicle.
After Fulham produced a stirring performance at Goodison Park, Newcastle really needed to make a statement of their own during a trip to West London.
But, after being swept aside by a Blues side who rarely needed to step on the gas, the Tyneside giants have been reduced to glancing nervously over their shoulder.
Should Fulham win their game in hand, Newcastle will be just four points above the relegation zone – without injured talisman Callum Wilson to bail them out.
And there was little on show at Chelsea to suggest that Newcastle are capable of putting together the run of results required to carry themselves away from the bottom three.
Olivier Giroud and Timo Werner both scored in the first half.
And, if it wasn’t for some wasteful finishing and the odd wayward cross, the result would have been a lot more lopsided.
Newcastle had already been opened up on a number of occasions before Giroud’s 31st-minute opener, during which right-back Krafth was left choking on Werner’s dust.
The Germany international turned on the afterburners to leave the Newcastle defender trailing in his wake before drilling in a cross which eventually rebounded into Giroud’s path.
And, according to the Chronicle, the embattled Bruce was not exactly impressed with the latest in a long line of underwhelming performances from Krafth, giving the Swede an almighty ‘ear-bashing’ at Stamford Bridge.
Newcastle fans will tell you there are more players who need a few home truths at the moment.
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