Alan Shearer labelled Newcastle’s 1-0 FA Cup defeat to Cambridge United as ‘rubbish’, as he told Match of the Day.
In the build-up to Hull City v Everton, Gary Lineker joked that ‘it would be nice to see a cup upset’, as he was teasing his fellow pundit on Newcastle’s Third Round FA Cup loss to the League One side earlier on in the day.
The former St James’ Park hero urged him to ‘stop it’ because he didn’t want him to bring that game up as he was ‘enjoying the atmosphere’, prior to Everton’s 3-2 extra-time win at Hull.
At the half-time break, Shearer didn’t pull any punches when asked to share his thoughts on the result and Newcastle’s performance.
This is what both Lineker and Shearer had to say yesterday, firstly the MOTD host trying to wind up his fellow colleague.
“It would be nice to see a cup upset,” teased Lineker as he look towards Shearer. “There hasn’t really been one yet in the third round.”
Shearer responded: “Oh, come on! Stop it. I am trying to enjoy the atmosphere and you have to bring that up.”
Lineker then added: “I was referring to Newcastle who sadly lost to Cambridge, but we will talk about that half-time.”
This is what Shearer said at HT: “I hope the players that are out on the pitch for Newcastle went and apologised and thanked those fans for their support because there was 52,000.
“Cambridge deserved it. They were superb and congratulations to them. I hope they went and thanked them because they deserve more than the rubbish that was served up to them.”
Forget about your big-money signings or European superstars, it was the previously unknown, Joe Ironside, causing the shock result yesterday.
The Cambridge striker was the one who delivered the killer blow that means Newcastle were one of the upsets of the round.
For Eddie Howe, it’s back to Premier League football and trying to lift the morale-sapping atmosphere in and around St James’ Park.
That’s only one win since the Englishman took charge and this January window might not even be the club’s saviour given the road they are going down.
The problem wasn’t even the result, or getting knocked out, but it’s the abject performance that was produced once again.
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