When Dwight Gayle fired home a bullet header to earn Newcastle United a late winner against West Bromwich Albion back in November, manager Steve Bruce could not hide his pride.
It had been their first game in two weeks following a Covid-19 outbreak at the club and the tight 2-1 victory took them up to 11th in the Premier League – four points off a Champions League spot, 11 clear of the bottom three.
"Their effort and endeavour was spot on," Bruce said of his team after the match at St James’ Park, but with the caveat that no one was going "to get carried away yet”.
Fast forward three months and an altogether darker mood has enveloped Tyneside with a toxic mix of catastrophic form, injury woes, training-ground bust-ups, witch-hunts to find a club mole and a fan base calling for Bruce's sacking.
They face West Brom again on Sunday but, after a run of two wins from 15 games, the Magpies have slumped to 17th in the table and slap-bang into the middle of a relegation dogfight.
Third-bottom Fulham are now just three points behind and enjoy a superior goal difference, albeit having played a game more.
This crucial match against the Baggies – second from last, nine points adrift of safety and now managed by former Newcastle boss Sam Allardyce – comes at the end of a chaotic couple of weeks of intrigue and damaging headlines.
First, a story emerged in The Telegraph ahead of the 1-1 draw with Wolves that goalkeeper Karl Darlow was set to be dropped for Martin Dubravka. The only problem being that this appeared before anyone at the club had told Darlow and the reporter in question was considered a confidant of Bruce.
This week, the Daily Mail ran a story about a training-ground row between Bruce and Matt Ritchie in which the midfielder had allegedly called his manager "a coward" following comments made after the Wolves game.
Bruce had blamed Ritchie for failing to pass on tactical information after coming on as a second-half substitute that would lead to Wolves' equaliser. Defender Jamal Lewis, goalkeeper Martin Dubravka and striker Joelinton were also publicly criticised by their manager.
Ritchie would later apologise but the damage had been done. In his Friday press conference, Bruce insisted training ground rows "happen up and down the country, every other week at clubs ... but unfortunately when it's Newcastle, it gets blown up out of all proportion".
He added: "The journalist [who is currently banned by the club] has a source in and around the club who feeds him. It's disappointing and we are looking to try to find the culprit."
Bruce also said he found it "totally disgusting" the suggestion that he was thought to be the source of the previous week's story about Darlow. "I would resign tomorrow," he said. "It's not true and not fair on Karl."
To make matter considerably worse, injuries have ravaged Bruce's squad and he is currently without the key attacking trio of Allan Saint-Maximin, Miguel Almiron and Callum Wilson.
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Newcastle 1 Wolves 1: player ratings
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NEWCASTLE UNITED RATINGS: Martin Dubravka - 6, Making his return to the team, Dubravka’s distribution was poor, while he may have saved Ruben Neves’ header on top form. Came up with a vital stop near the end. Reuters -
Emil Krafth - 5, Defended resolutely but struggled to match Adama Traore, while the right-back could have done better in attacking areas. Getty -
Jamaal Lascelles - 8, Was reliable in his defensive work and showed the cutting edge in front of goal that Newcastle’s attackers had failed to provide. Getty -
Ciaran Clark - 7, Got a superb touch on Pedro Neto’s cross to divert it away from danger, while making some other good interventions. Booked for a foul on Traore. AFP -
Jamal Lewis - 6, Got forward well and made some impressive interventions defensively, but was beaten by Pedro Neto in the build-up to Wolves’ goal. AP -
Joe Willock - 6, Was neat in his general play but should have done better when a chance presented itself to him in the box. AP -
Isaac Hayden - 6, Was a solid presence in the midfield despite picking up an early knock. Took one for the team and was booked for a foul on Traore. Reuters -
Jonjo Shelvey - 7, Played some good balls forward and made sure his presence was felt in the middle of the pitch with some superb challenges. Reuters -
Miguel Almiron - 5, Was very lively but missed a great chance after getting through on goal, while a better touch could have given him another opportunity to score. AFP -
Joelinton - 6, Will be wondering how he hasn’t scored, after he sent a sweetly struck effort straight at Patricio, while Saiss somehow kept another of his attempts out. Reuters -
Allan Saint-Maximin - 7, Was such a threat throughout his time on the pitch, and was unlucky to be caught offside when he scored. Getty -
SUBS: Ryan Fraser (Almiron HT) - 7, Put in a brilliant cross to set up Lascelles for the game’s opening goal. AP -
Jacob Murphy (Saint-Maximin 63’) - 6, Made a vital intervention at the back post to prevent Neves scoring a second header. AP -
Matt Ritchie (Krafth 71’) – N/R, Showed good technique but the decision-making didn’t always match that. Reuters -
WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS RATINGS: Rui Patricio - 6, Had no chance of stopping Lascelles’ header and made various good saves, even if they were a little bit unorthodox at times. AP -
Leander Dendoncker - 6, Put in a lot of good work, though he was stretched whenever Saint-Maximin drove at him. Getty -
Conor Coady - 6, Was generally solid, making some good blocks and interventions, but some of his passing wasn’t at his best. Got a punch in the head from his own goalkeeper. AP -
Romain Saiss - 7, Made a brilliant goal line clearance to prevent Joelinton from scoring after the Brazilian beat Patricio. Reuters -
Nelson Semedo - 5, Was let off after playing Almiron onside and struggled to deal with Saint-Maximin. Completely wasted a good opportunity to provide a dangerous cross. AP -
Ruben Neves - 7, His long-range efforts were far from the best they’ve been, but he popped up in the box to score with his head. AP -
Joao Moutinho - 6, Moved the ball around nicely at times but failed to turn that into chances created. Getty -
Jonny - 6, Was pretty reliable defensively throughout and made some good runs forward in the second period. EPA -
Pedro Neto - 7, Was wasteful in front of goal but put in the cross that assisted Neves’ header. AP -
Willian Jose - 6, Impacted the game despite getting hardly any of the ball, as he linked the play well and his movement created space for Neves to exploit to score. AP -
Adama Traore - 7, Was Wolves’ most consistent threat with his bursts up the pitch. Also forced an awkward save from Dubravka with a header. AFP -
SUBS: Fabio Silva (Jose 83’) – N/R, Another who will wonder how they didn’t score, as Clark blocked one header while Dubravka produced a great save to stop another. AP -
Ki-Jana Hoever (Semedo 85’) – N/R, Came in and fulfilled his duties well to help Wolves earn a point. Getty -
Rayan Ait-Nouri (Jonny 94’) – N/R, Was on for less than a minute but pressed Murphy to make him play backwards. Reuters
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Those three have accounted for 16 of Newcastle’s 27 league goals, as well as providing nine assists. Without them, the 60-year-old now has to find goals and flair from elsewhere.
So the spotlight turns to Gayle, Andy Carroll and record signing Joelinton, who have managed a paltry three goals between them all season.
It is safe to say the latter – a club-record signing in 2019 – has not enjoyed the most successful of spells since moving to England.
During his first campaign, when the Brazilian finished with just two goals from 38 league games, Bruce was forced to admit that his £40 million attacker was not a natural goalscorer or even an out-and-out centre-forward and would end up moving him out to a wider role.
"The great strikers, the goalscorers, all they're interested in is scoring a goal – Joe is not like that. He is more a team player," Bruce said.
His second season has followed a familiar path with one goal in 20 games. In January, Newcastle's record goalscorer Alan Shearer, now a pundit with the BBC, did not hold back in his assessment of the hapless attacker.
"He cost a lot of money and he finds it really difficult," Shearer said after the FA Cup defeat to Arsenal. "His touch is really poor and he hasn't posed a threat. It's been really frustrating watching him. I actually feel sorry for him."
The fact Newcastle's goalscoring hopes could now hinge with a player who has found the net three times in 58 league games sums up the club's current predicament.
There are now 12 games to go and time is fast running out to turn around form and prevent a third drop down to the Championship in 13 seasons.
And feeling among supporters is that a change of manager is needed sooner rather than later.
The previous two relegations under Mike Ashley's controversial ownership, fresh blood was brought in too late to rescue an already sinking ship.
In 2009, Shearer was appointed with just eight games to go, while in 2017 Rafa Benitez came in with 10 matches left. Neither could save Newcastle from the drop.
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The 10 biggest blunders of the Mike Ashley era
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Treatment of Kevin Keegan: A surprise appointment at the beginning of Ashley's reign to replace the sacked Sam Allardyce, Keegan was brought back to Tyneside for his second spell as manager - much to the delight of the Geordie faithful. But the move would quickly turn sour for all parties as Keegan resigned just eight months later after becoming increasingly exasperated with the club's transfer policy. Keegan would later win £2 million in damages and Ashley's relationship with the fanbase would never recover. Getty -
Appointing Dennis Wise as director of football: A hugely unpopular figure on Tyneside during his playing days with Chelsea, Wise was brought in at boardroom level the same time as Keegan primarily to sign players and develop their academy. It was the player recruitment part that would prove his undoing as Keegan would end up quitting as manager due to the signings Wise made. When Keegan took the club to court for wrongful dismissal, he revealed that his relationship with Wise broke down when he was told Uruguyan international Ignacio Gonzalez was joining the club not because of his football ability, but as a favour to two influential South American agents. Wise would follow Keegan out of the door a little over a year later, his reputation badly damaged. Getty -
Appointing Joe Kinnear. Twice: After Keegan's exit, Ashley decided to bring in Joe Kinnear as interim manager in 2008. The 61-year-old had not been a top-flight manager for nearly a decade and had been out of work since being sacked by Nottingham Forest four years earlier. Kinnear's first spell was best remembered for his foul-mouthed rant at journalists in his first press conference. The Irishman, who had a history of health problems, saw his spell in charge come an abrupt halt after less than five months when he had to undergo triple heart bypass surgery. Bizarrely, Ashley brought him back again in 2013 as director of football when Alan Pardew was manager. In an infamous Talksport interview soon after his second appointment, Kinnear made a number of claims about his managerial record which were untrue and mispronounced the names of numerous Newcastle players. He would resign from his role barely seven months later. Getty -
Treatment of Alan Shearer: Newcastle's record goalscorer was parachuted in as manager to try and rescue Newcastle from relegation after Kinnear's exit to undergo heart surgery. Shearer, who had no previous coaching experience, had just eight games to turn the club around but could only manage only one win as the club finished third bottom, one point adrift of safety. Shearer wanted the job on a full-time basis and had provided Ashley with a blueprint for rebuilding the club - but was never given the chance and has never been offered an explanation as to why by the owner. PA -
Selling Andy Carroll: A sign of what Newcastle had become under Ashley as the club cashed in on their star striker in the January transfer window, leaving no time for a replacement to be found. Carroll's goals had helped guide Newcastle to promotion the previous campaign and he had started the Premier League season in superb form wearing the club's famous No 9 jersey. A born and bred Geordie, Carroll cracked a hat-trick in the season opener against Aston Villa, also scoring against the likes of Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool. The latter came calling with a blockbusting £35m bid in the new year and the supporters' latest goalscoring hero was gone. -
Renaming St James' Park: In an attempt to show potential sponsors the value in paying for the naming rights in 2011, Newcastle’s iconic home was renamed the Sports Direct Arena - after Ashley's sportswear company. Supporters were furious at the decision that would be reversed as a goodwill gesture by new club sponsors Wonga less than a year later. Ashley would later admit the move had been a mistake. Reuters -
Giving up on the cups: Newcastle's record in the League and FA Cups is nothing short of an embarrassment under the Ashley regime, where Premier League survival has been paramount. When Steve Bruce guided the Magpies to the FA Cup quarter-finals in the season just finished, it was the first time they had been beyond Round 4 since Ashley's arrival. In that time, the best they managed in the League Cup was Round 5. Getty -
Failing to build on fifth-place finish: In the most successful season of the Ashley era, Alan Pardew would guide the Magpies to fifth-place in the league and win the manager of the year award. The club bought well pre-season - signing the likes of Demba Ba and Yohan Cabaye - and then strengthened again in January when striker Papiss Cisse was signed to help fire the club to their best finish since the Bobby Robson team of 2003/04. But rather than build on that success, only one signing was made in the summer - midfielder Vurnon Anita, a £6.7m signing from Ajax - and the squad failed to cope with the extra demands of Europa League football. Newcastle finished 16th in the Premier League, avoiding relegation by five points. Getty -
Handing out mammoth contracts: After the successful 2011/12 season, Ashley decided to award manager Pardew, chief scout Graham Carr, plus coaches John Carver, Steve Stone and Andy Woodman huge eight-year contracts. Managing director Derek Llambias said Newcastle wanted continuity to match English football's top clubs, citing the records of Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger at Manchester United, respectively. But Pardew was no Ferguson or Wenger and he quit the club three years later after several seasons struggling in the bottom half of the table and losing the support of home fans. Woodman followed Pardew onto his next job at Crystal Palace, Carver and Stone were sacked soon after, while Carr lasted until 2017. Pardew's contract would have come to an end in June of this year. AFP -
Failing to keep Rafa Benitez: The Spaniard - who had won La Liga, the Uefa Cup, Europa League and Champions League while in charge at Valencia, Liverpool and Chelsea - was much loved by supporters and would help guide the club to promotion out of the Championship and two mid-table finishes in the top-flight. But Benitez would become increasingly frustrated by what he perceived as a lack of ambition and investment by Ashley and would leave for a new - and extremely well-paid - challenge in China. Steve Bruce, who had never won a major trophy in his managerial career, was named as his replacement. Reuters
