Newcastle United legend Alan Shearer has claimed that he "does not have any sympathy" for Steve McClaren following the club's worst start to a season in more than a century.
The Magpies fell to a 6-1 defeat at Manchester City on the weekend to prolong their winless start to the campaign to an eighth game.
Shearer says that McClaren was fully aware of the task at hand when taking over at St James' Park in the summer, and insists that United will drop down to the second tier unless they quickly turn things around.
"No, I don't have any sympathy for him, not really," the 45-year-old is quoted as saying by the Daily Mail. "I don't know if the transfer activity was different to what he expected, hoped, needed or wanted.
"But he knows what he is signing up for. If they perform like they did against Watford and Sheffield Wednesday and the second half at Manchester City, then yes, before long they will be relegated.
"I don't know what Newcastle are going to turn up. I don't think anyone does. McClaren doesn't know and I don't know, and that is the worry. There is a fragility and a losing mentality about the football club."
Newcastle, who find themselves five points adrift of safety, return to action in two weeks' time when they take on Norwich City.
