Alan Pardew: 'Performance wasn't good enough'

Newcastle United manager Alan Pardew has issued a warning to his players, saying that the team "lacked energy" in the defeat to Tottenham Hotspur.

The Toon, who have now lost their last three games, went down 4-0 at home to Tim Sherwood's side at St James' Park on Wednesday night.

"The message to the fans is that wasn't good enough," Pardew is quoted as saying by The Mirror. "For the first time we looked unconfident. Not sure what we were doing. Lacked energy in certain areas. Of course I am not happy.

"You expect life and limb on the football pitch, no matter what the scenario or scoreline. The players better get the message because they will be getting it loud and clear this week.

"I don't want to take my 150th game and watch a performance like that. I don't care how good Spurs were. We are back in training at 10 tomorrow morning."

The defeat leaves Newcastle in ninth place in the Premier League table.