adminNewcastle United defender Malick Thiaw has addressed supporters following the club’s disappointing 4-1 defeat to Leeds United at Elland Road, admitting that the performance fell well below the standards expected at St James’ Park.
The German centre-back, who wore the captain’s armband for the fifth time this season, spoke to reporters after the final whistle and did not attempt to hide his disappointment with Newcastle’s display.
The defeat represented Matthias Jaissle’s first loss as Newcastle head coach after the German had guided the Magpies through an unbeaten opening to his reign. Newcastle had collected five points from their first three Premier League fixtures before travelling to Elland Road.
However, the match quickly turned into a difficult evening for the visitors.
Leeds opened the scoring through a deflected Lewis Miley own goal before Jayden Bogle doubled the hosts’ advantage. Dominic Calvert-Lewin then made it 3-0 shortly before half-time, leaving Newcastle with a huge task after a disastrous opening 45 minutes.
Noah Okafor added a fourth for Leeds after the break, while Newcastle could only manage a late consolation through Bazoumana Touré in the 90th minute.
For Thiaw, the result was particularly frustrating because Newcastle had shown encouraging signs during the early stages of Jaissle’s tenure.
Speaking after the game, the defender acknowledged that Newcastle’s performance simply did not reflect the level the team wants to reach.
“How we performed, the result… it’s not what Newcastle want to be,” Thiaw said, according to reports.
His comments came as Newcastle attempted to process a heavy defeat that exposed several weaknesses in their performance.
The Magpies struggled to cope with Leeds’ intensity and pressing game, particularly during a chaotic spell before half-time. Jaissle was also forced into an early change when Nico González was withdrawn following a head injury, adding to Newcastle’s difficulties.
The result ended Newcastle’s unbeaten start under Jaissle and left them sitting 12th in the Premier League with five points from four matches.
Jaissle admitted after the match that the result was difficult to digest, while Thiaw’s decision to publicly acknowledge the poor performance showed the disappointment within the Newcastle camp.
The defeat has also triggered criticism of the manager’s tactical decisions. Former Newcastle boss Steve Bruce and talkSPORT host Adrian Durham questioned Jaissle’s midfield selection, particularly after González was forced off early in the contest.
Newcastle now have the opportunity to respond quickly when they face Hull City in their next fixture. The focus will be on whether Jaissle can help his players recover from the heavy defeat and return to the form that produced an unbeaten start to his Newcastle career.
For Thiaw and the rest of the squad, the message is clear: the Leeds performance cannot become the standard as Newcastle attempt to establish a new identity under their new head coach.
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