Newcastle United have been left 'scarred 'by defeats against Brentford and Sheffield United and Steve Bruce acknowledges that the Magpies have to change their mentality in games they are expected to win.
Newcastle have failed to win any of their last eight fixtures in all competitions and the black-and-whites have suffered embarrassing defeats against Brentford's second-string and bottom of the table Sheffield United in the space of just three weeks.
Of those five sides below them in the Premier League table, Newcastle have failed to beat Brighton, Fulham and Sheffield United so far this season.
Last season, the 13th-placed Magpies won just four games against those teams who ended up finishing between 14th and 20th and Bruce recognises it's an issue.
"Well, certainly, our worst performances have been when we've been expected to win so it's maybe something in the mentality," he told reporters on Zoom.
"When we're the favourites to win, we struggle with it so I think it's a mentality thing we have to change.
"I have to accept we were nowhere near good enough against Sheffield United in the first half and, unfortunately, against Brentford in the cup tie. That's what scars us at the minute.
"People are going to overlook the result against Arsenal in the cup or against Liverpool in the league because too often on my watch, we throw that one in where we haven't been able to handle the expectation to go and beat a team.
"That's the disappointing thing I have to improve."
Although Sheffield United had claimed just two points from their opening 17 league games this season, Bruce matched up the Blades on Tuesday night by playing with a back five at Bramall Lane, which set the tone for his side's strangely passive performance.
Bruce looks set to make a number of changes for the trip to Arsenal on Monday night and while Federico Fernandez looks set to miss out, and Ryan Fraser is suspended, Jamaal Lascelles and Jamal Lewis could return.
Bruce intends to do things his 'way' from now on, which may lead to a change of system at the Emirates, but the Newcastle head coach stressed he has not lost patience with his players.
"It's like that performance we had the other night or against Brentford or against Norwich away or Leicester away last season, which unfortunately, were unacceptable," he added.
"I have to take the responsibility and ask the question why? Why have we done so well against Arsenal? Why have we done so well against Liverpool?
"In hindsight, the personnel I picked...maybe I picked the wrong team. I accept that but, no matter what team I picked, I still expected the team to perform better than what they did so I got it wrong. Quite simply.
"I have to accept what's coming my way, which I always do, and get on with it."
