Alan Shearer delivered another scathing assessment of "dreadful" Newcastle as they laboured against Fulham.
The Magpies were second best for long stretches against the Cottagers, who sat in the bottom three upon arrival at St James' Park. A Matt Ritchie own goal gave them a deserved lead before Callum Wilson's penalty levelled matters.
But it was a poor performance and Shearer felt familiar problems undermined Newcastle.
"I thought it was a dreadful performance from Newcastle. No energy. Slow and sluggish in their passing, they didn't create anywhere near enough," he said on Match of the Day.
"And again - which has happened far too many times this season - not enough possession. They didn't have the ball enough."
Shearer has criticised Mike Ashley this season, arguing that the debate about whether Bruce or Rafa Benitez had performed better was pointless while the owner continued to control the club.
But he has consistently called out some of Newcastle's most disappointing displays.
It might have been worse for United but for Wilson's run and penalty. However pundit Jermaine Jenas felt the Newcastle striker had dived.
He said: "I think Scott Parker is right, he has got it spot on. You can see here, the contact from Joachim Andersen on Callum Wilson is outside the box on his arm.
“To make it clear, from this angle, this is a dive, in my opinion. There is minor contact there on the sole of Wilson, but there is no need for him to be diving like that. I don’t think it is a foul.
“I am surprised Graham Scott gave it, I really am.”
Shearer agreed. "I don’t think it should have been a penalty," he said.
"That is a dive. Yes, there is a tiny touch there but it is not enough to bring him down. It should have been a foul outside of the box because he has got hold of his shirt and I thought that was a dive.”
