Alan Shearer criticized one player for delivering his worst performance in a Newcastle shirt during the match against Arsenal.
Arsenal secured a convincing 4-1 victory over Newcastle on Saturday, bringing them within two points of Premier League leaders Liverpool.
The Gunners took the lead with a Sven Botman own goal, followed by Kai Havertz adding a second goal in the 24th minute. Bukayo Saka extended Arsenal’s lead with his fifth consecutive Premier League goal, while Jakub Kiwior scored the fourth from a Declan Rice corner.
Despite a late consolation goal from Joe Willock, Newcastle’s trip to the Emirates ended without a win for the 12th consecutive time.
Alan Shearer, working for Premier League productions, expressed disappointment with Newcastle’s performance and specifically criticized Kieran Tripper and Botman.
Shearer highlighted the lack of pressure on the ball during Arsenal’s second goal and criticized the passive stance of Newcastle’s players. He singled out Trippier and Botman, describing them as “all over the place” defensively, and claimed that Botman had his “worst game” since joining the club.
“Trippier is all over the place at the back. Botman’s all over the place at the back and they end up getting a tap-in,” Shearer said.
He emphasized the importance of pressure and desire in such situations, stating that Newcastle needed to show more fight against a formidable opponent like Arsenal.
Following the match, Shearer reiterated his criticism, particularly targeting Botman for his poor performance and inability to recover from mistakes.
“Botman had his worst game in a Newcastle shirt, he gave the ball away and they couldn’t recover. Arsenal’s passing was slick,” Shearer concluded.
