Shearer, speaking to Betfair, believes that Woltemade's playing style may be a contributing factor to Newcastle's struggles. While acknowledging Woltemade's skill with the ball, Shearer notes that the player's lack of speed, inability to press, and failure to run behind the defense are significant issues.

"I've said before that as good as Nick Woltemade is with the ball at his feet, he is a problem for Newcastle because he's not the quickest, and he can't press, and he doesn't run in behind," Shearer said. "Eddie's teams have always done that. Look at what Alexander Isak did or look at what Callum Wilson did, they all pressed and ran behind. But this guy can't do that, and that's a problem for Newcastle."

Woltemade's recent form has been a concern, scoring just once in his last six games and failing to regain his momentum despite grabbing an assist against Brentford last weekend.

Manager Eddie Howe also acknowledged that the team lacked confidence during their recent game, attributing it to technical mistakes and a lack of fluency in the middle of the pitch.

"It was clear, for me, if you watch Newcastle regularly, we were lacking in confidence today," Howe said. "There were a lot of technical mistakes, which is really unlike us, especially in the middle of the pitch where we're usually really fluent. That contributed then to putting us under pressure."

Howe emphasized the importance of supporting his players and maintaining team unity during this challenging period.