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Lee Ryder

Steve Bruce gives message to Newcastle United supporters after Etihad Stadium horror show

Steve Bruce will investigate the manner of his team's performance at Manchester City in the build-up to Saturday's trip to Watford.

The Magpies face a relegation-threatened side at Vicarage Road (12.30pm) with Bruce warning his players not to let standards slip in the remaining four fixtures.

Fans watched on from back home as Newcastle were trounced by City with Bruce's side producing just one shot on target in the 5-0 defeat.

When asked what his message to fans was, Bruce said: "Look I hope we are not going to be judged on playing Manchester City.

"Because we have tried to come and play against them and basically the team we played against were far too good.

"What the supporters would want to see is more resilience than we put up that night.

"We were too passive, too easy and didn't do well enough with or without the ball."

City's stroll could have been much worse for Newcastle as they peppered the goal with 23 attempts overall.

Bruce said: "We're not the first team, they have just beaten the champions 4-0.

"To play against this mob twice in a week or so behind closed doors is not easy, let me tell you but I still expect us to perform better and put up a bit more of a show as we did.

"We have to be brutally honest we didn't do enough from start to finish and didn't lay a glove on them.

"That is the disappointing thing after such a good run.

"The manner of it was not what it should be."

With four games to go reaching a top 10 place is looking like a big ask for United in remaining fixtures.

Bruce concluded: "We have four games left to play and I will demand we are better than what we were at Manchester City."

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