Newcastle Fall to Brentford in 4-2 Defeat: “Hopeless Defensively,” Says Alan Shearer

Newcastle United suffered a 4-2 defeat to Brentford in a frustrating Premier League clash at the Gtech Community Stadium. Despite a promising start, the Magpies saw their winless run extend to four matches, leaving Eddie Howe’s side with mounting concerns.

The match began with promise for Newcastle, who twice rallied from behind in the first half to go into the break level. However, their inability to capitalize on early dominance proved costly. A lackluster second-half performance allowed Brentford to take control, with the Bees netting twice while Newcastle struggled to mount any serious threat on goalkeeper Mark Flekken.

Reflecting on the performance, Newcastle manager Eddie Howe acknowledged the disappointment. “We started well and created chances, but we didn’t sustain the performance in the second half,” Howe said. “We need to be much better defensively and show more composure in key moments.”

Newcastle legend Alan Shearer didn’t hold back in his assessment. Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Shearer wrote: “Brentford worthy winners. Much better team. Newcastle were hopeless defensively, and that’s being kind!! #BRENEW.”

The defeat comes just days after Newcastle’s spirited performance against Liverpool, raising questions about their consistency. “We showed we can compete with the best, but consistency is what separates good teams from great ones,” Howe added.