NafisaNewcastle legend Alan Shearer has launched a blistering attack on Jacob Murphy, labeling the winger’s performance an “absolute failure” following Newcastle’s 3-2 defeat to Brentford on Saturday evening, February 7, 2026. Despite a goal from the returning Bruno Guimarães, the Magpies slumped to their third consecutive loss, leaving the St James’ Park faithful in a state of shock.
Shearer’s fury was ignited by Murphy’s role in Brentford’s second goal. The winger conceded a costly penalty for a handball, which allowed Igor Thiago to put the visitors ahead. Shearer, speaking on The Rest Is Football, suggested that the club’s patience with certain squad members has finally run out.
”It was an absolute failure of a performance from Murphy tonight,” Shearer fumed. “At this level, you cannot be that careless. He was a passenger for most of the game, and then to give away a penalty like that? It’s amateurish. Honestly, Newcastle should pay up the contracts of players who aren’t up to it and sign high-caliber replacements immediately. We are falling behind because of basic, avoidable errors.”
Toon fans were in total agreement as boos rang out at full-time. Many took to social media to echo Shearer’s sentiment, calling for a “ruthless cull” of the squad after a week that saw them exit the Carabao Cup and slide to 12th in the Premier League. With the Champions League now their only hope for success, the pressure on Eddie Howe to drop underperforming stars has reached a boiling point.
Hakeem Yusuf
Nafisa