Former Arsenal and England defender Martin Keown has issued a brutal response to Steve Bruce's recent comments about his Newcastle United players.
Bruce has come under pressure after Newcastle's recent slide in form culminated in a damaging defeat to rock-bottom Sheffield United on Tuesday evening.
In an extraordinary press conference, Bruce said he side were 'absolutely s****' against Sheffield United and the Magpies' head coach warned his players that the 'gloves are off' as he looks to do things 'his way' from now on.
Newcastle travel to Arsenal on Monday looking to reverse a run of eight matches without a win, scoring just one goal from open play in that time.
And Premier League winner Keown believes Bruce can't 'detach himself' from his side's woeful form, suggesting Newcastle are now a club 'going to war'.
"Being cynical, he has been there 18 months so whose way was he doing it before?" Keown told BBC One's Football Focus.
"He has been the manager and he can't detach himself from that.
"But he is calling out the players, that is the style of management he wants to bring in and he is under real pressure now. That is not going to change.
"It will be interesting to see what the performances are like from here on in, but they are going to war there."
