Newcastle ace slammed after 'shameful' Leeds thrashing
Under the floodlights of St James' Park on Monday night, Newcastle United’s hopeful fans watched in disbelief as their side endured a 'shameful' 4‑1 thrashing at the hands of Leeds United, a defeat that saw the Magpies’ ace defender instantly slammed by angry supporters.
Action Images via Reuters/Lee Smith By Matthew Guyett PM GMT+1 reported the match in the Premier League, noting that Lewis Miley’s own‑goal in the 32nd minute opened the scoring, Jayden Bogle doubled Leeds’ lead two minutes later and Dominic Calvert‑Lewin added a stoppage‑time strike before the half‑time whistle.
In the second half, Noah Okafor sealed the fourth goal in the 59th minute and Toure grabbed a consolation for Newcastle in the 90th minute, confirming Daniel Farke’s side as the victors.
Fans unleash criticism
Supporters turned on the 26‑year‑old Dutch centre‑back, who has been with the Tynesiders since July 2022, after he won only one of two tackles, three of five aerial duels and committed an error that led to a shot. One fan wrote, "Surely the jig is up for Botman now – on a good day he’s bang average, on an average day he’s a liability and on his bad days, of which there are many, he’s indescribably awful." Another demanded, "He needs to get Murphy and Botman off instantly. Absolutely honking." Yet another claimed, "Has Botman been to the laughing farm pre‑season? He’s absolutely shameful." Here the chorus of criticism echoed across social media, with Us fans demanding change after the Action‑filled night.
Earlier in the season Newcastle had shown promise, drawing 2‑2 with Liverpool and Bournemouth and beating Tottenham Hotspur 2‑0, matches where Botman impressed before this setback.
Magpies look ahead
Manager Matthias Jaissle may now consider Dan Burn’s return from an ankle injury, as the Dutch defender’s performance has left doubts about his place in the starting line‑up.
The Magpies next travel to face high‑flying Hull City on Saturday at St James' Park, aiming to become the first team to beat the newly‑promoted Tigers.
Matthew Guyett, a graduate of the University of Essex in 2022 with a Creative Writing degree, joined GiveMeSport as a freelancer in August 2024 after nearly three years at Sportskeeda where he covered European football. His work has amassed over 25 million reads, including a viral story that garnered 724 000 reads.