Former star striker Alan Shearer is fearful that Newcastle are heading towards relegation from the Premier League on the back of a dire loss of form.
A former skipper at the northeast club, Shearer was stunned by Saturday`s 3-2 defeat to Swansea at St James` Park which was the Magpies` seventh straight loss, their worst ever run in the top flight.
That loss left them 14th with 35 points, just five ahead of arch-rivals Sunderland in 18th with four games to go.
“Have no doubts about it – Newcastle are now in real danger of going down,” Shearer wrote in his column in The Sun.
“I didn`t think so until Saturday but after that performance I can`t actually say with any certainty that we will get another point this season.”
The 44-year-old lays the blame firmly on the players, lamenting their attitude and expressed sympathy for head coach John Carver as he tries to get more from them.
He added: “Carver himself has been getting some stick. But he loves the club and I know he is hurting.
“Why don`t the Newcastle players start taking some responsibility? Because right now they are an embarrassment.”
Newcastle have won just twice in 16 matches since Carver replaced Alan Pardew as manager.