John Carver ‘out of his depth’ as former players criticise Newcastle manager for ‘amazing’ outburst

Newcastle interim manager John Carver confronts Daryl Janmat after the defender was sent off during the defeat to Leicester. Ross Kinnaird / Getty

Newcastle United interim manager John Carver is coming under increased media fire after suggesting defender Mike Williamson got himself sent off “on purpose” during Saturday’s 3-0 Premier League defeat at Leicester City.

Williamson earned a second yellow card for a reckless barge on Leicester striker Jamie Vardy after 62 minutes, before Daryl Janmaat was dismissed in stoppage time as Newcastle suffered an eighth defeat in a row and fell to 15th in the table, two points clear of the relegation zone with three games remaining.

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“I thought he’d done that on purpose, it looks like he did,” Carver told reporters. “The ball was off the pitch, he had no need to make the challenge. He will miss two games. Is it an easy way out?”

Former Newcastle striker Michael Owen, who was relegated to the Championship with the north-east club in 2009, believes Carver’s comments could do more harm than good.

“Amazing quotes from Carver. Fans may like that type of honesty but as a manager, I’m not sure you can say things like that,” Owen wrote on Twitter. “I guess we haven’t heard the end of this one.”

Carver has won two out of 16 Premier League games as manager after replacing Alan Pardew in January and ex-England defender Martin Keown is unsure if the former assistant is up to the demands of leading the side.

“When you’re in a position like Newcastle are in, you have to stick together but John Carver is digging players out,” Keown told the BBC.

“There was a lack of desire, granted, but he is out of his depth at the moment. It’s not just about demanding the effort. He needs guidance on how to behave because he is taking players apart.”

Former Wales midfielder Robbie Savage, part of the Derby County side that were relegated from the Premier League in 2008 with just 11 points, said he could understand if Williamson and Janmaat wanted to get sent off.

“I played in the worst Premier League team of all time — that Derby side of 2007-08 — and there were times when, with the crowd against you, that I thought: ‘If I get sent off here I’ll miss the next few games.’ Because playing was making it worse,” Savage told the BBC.

“There are only two people who will ever know ... Williamson and Janmaat.”

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