'It's a mess right now' - Sky Sports pundit lays into Newcastle United and 'feels sorry' for Steve Bruce

Jamie Redknapp has laid into Newcastle United following the Magpies’ loss to Aston Villa on Saturday night.

Steve Bruce’s side are without a win in 10 games after they were comfortably seen off by a dominant Aston Villa thanks to goals from Ollie Watkins and Bertrand Traore.

And former Liverpool and Tottenham midfielder Redknapp believes a new manager would struggle with the current crop of players.

“Even if they did change manager, I don't see a new one coming in and changing too much with that squad," Redknapp said on Sky Sports following the game.

“I can't see many Newcastle players you'd get money for. Allan Saint-Maximin maybe. You could go get Rafa back, that's the fans dream maybe, but I don't think he changes much.

“There are so many things wrong with that club, one of the biggest ones that's bothered me is the academy. Years ago, they made superstars.

"Years ago, they always had a superstar Geordie. You look at Gazza, (Chris) Waddle, (Peter) Beardsley, Lee Clark, Steve Watson.

"There are no kids coming through, that used to be a football hotbed Newcastle. Where is the talent there? Why are they not producing their own players? That's what they used to do?

"Even the likes of Michael Carrick and Alan Shearer. Shearer had to go to Southampton and Carrick had to go to West Ham. But there were so many good Geordie players.

“That club deserves a superstar, the fans, the club, they've always had a superstar. It's a mess right now. I feel for Bruce, I feel for the fans but it's not good enough. He's trying his heart out, you can see it. You can see there is a pain there.”

And the pressure is building on ex-Sunderland boss bruce Bruce, with Newcastle United fans unhappy at the decline in results over the past weeks, including a loss to bottom club Sheffield United, who had previously been winless.

Following the loss to Villa, fans unfurled a banner with his and club owner Mike Ashley faces accompanied by the message 'act late, seal your fate' and the dates 2009 and 2016, when the Magpies were relegated from the Premier League.

Newcastle are seven points above the relegation zone having played a game more than 18th-place Fulham.

"You can't deny it, it's a rotten run," Redknapp continued “You talk about the style of play and the football we like, it has not been good enough.

“The fans will accept results but when you are playing a style of football, getting 37 per cent possession and still losing games that is not good enough.

“This has been the situation for the last three or four years since I watched Newcastle. I feel sorry for Steve Bruce.

“I played against him, he is a warrior, not a quitter. But he must think to himself, I don't need this. They [the fans] are sick to death right now and rightfully so.

“It's not good viewing and I didn't think for one second they'd get a result today, I didn't think they'd beat Sheffield United last week.”