Steve Bruce has shouldered the blame for Newcastle United's precarious Premier League position.
The Magpies' overall all performance in the top-flight this season is only marginally better than that of Steve McClaren's side in 2015/16 with the former England boss fired after 28 games that year.
Bruce's side are trying to clamber away from danger in the Premier League's relegation dogfight but face a tough test against Aston Villa at St James' Park.
Bruce, speaking at his weekly Press conference, said: "Of course. I’ve said it many, many times.
"The buck stops with me.
"I understand that, totally.
"Now the top 10 was (a target), probably because we finished 13th, and we would like to improve on what we accomplished last year.
"I think, with the problems we’ve had, and certainly when I analyse the season, and now’s not the particular time, but we were going along very, very nicely until Covid hit, and then the injuries to big players.
"It’s been a real, big problem to handle.
"So that’s what it is.
"That’s what we’ve been dealt with."
And expanding on the fact Newcastle set themselves a target of the top 10 back in September but have failed to deliver, Bruce said: "At the end of the day, we’ve still got an opportunity to climb up the table and finish somewhere (close to) where we finished last year. I think all of us would accept that and take it now.
"It’s not what we set out to be, but that’s the way it is at the minute."
