Wigan vs Newcastle 1-0 Goal Highlights 26-12-2007

Premier League

Goal: Taylor 65'

Newcastle boss Sam Allardyce launched a furious attack on his own players who were booed off the pitch for the second successive match after losing 1-0 to struggling Wigan on Wednesday.

The loss came in the wake of a 2-2 draw at home to bottom club Derby on Saturday and left the north-east club marooned in mid-table in the English Premier League.

With a few minutes remaining at the JJB Stadium on Wednesday, the majority of the 5,500 travelling Newcastle fans sang: "We're shit, and we're sick of it."

Allardyce agreed with his success-starved supporters.

"If I was them I would be singing what they sang because we're not good enough," said the manager.

"I know it's not good enough, so it doesn't take much for them to work out it's not good enough. They are not daft."

Allardyce laid the blame for the display squarely at the feet of his team.

"The level of form they have dropped to is unacceptable," he said.

"Everyone can have an off day, but our off days are really off. Right now the only pressure on us is what we are putting on ourselves because we are performing at that level.

"We are professional managers and players and we have to perform under pressure, whether it be good, bad or indifferent.

"We have to accept that pressure and use it as a positive, not a negative, not shrivel and die.

"You have to roll your sleeves up, wear your heart on your sleeve and go and fight because that is what gets you out of difficult situations."

Newcastle carved out just one chance when Mark Viduka's overhead kick early in the second half was cleared off the line by former Toon centre-back Titus Bramble.

Wigan then clinched a win to lift themselves out of the bottom three when Ryan Taylor curled home a 22-yard free-kick.