McClaren: Newcastle criticism like World War III

Manager Steve McClaren compared the recent criticism of Newcastle United to being like “World War Three”.

Newcastle remain winless in the Premier League this season but McClaren’s men claimed a confidence-boosting 2-2 draw at home to reigning champions Chelsea on Saturday.

The strugglers had been lambasted by pundits and fans following their embarrassing League Cup exit to Sheffield Wednesday in midweek, having lost at home to newly-promoted Watford just four days earlier.

With the doom and gloom hovering over St James’ Park slightly lifted, McClaren opened up on the club’s tumultuous week.

“Frustrated, happy. [For the] last 10 days frustrated, very frustrated because the performances before the international break – [like] Arsenal here – the spirit was good,” McClaren said.

“We have come back and the last 10 days it has been like World War Three.

“We expect that and that is the reaction you can get.”

McClaren added: “I have seen evidence we can improve. They can, they have performances like that [against Chelsea] in them.

“If we had just won it would have been an absolute high.

“Yet we have still shown something important. We have seen that already – then it goes, then it comes back. It needs to be consistent and that is what we are looking for now.”