No team in the Premier League this season has let slip more points from winning positions than Newcastle's 22.
Club legend Alan Shearer was scathing when he wrote on X that the side's performance was a "pathetic, weak, lazy, limp second half from Newcastle again".
Play fantasy football for a second and add 22 points to Newcastle's tally – they would be second on 64, six behind leaders Arsenal and in the title race.
However, reality has them 12th on 42 points, four adrift of eighth-placed Everton, who, depending on who wins the FA Cup, could be in a qualifying position for the third-tier Conference League.
From Champions League football in two of the past three campaigns, Newcastle face the real prospect of no continental competition in 2026-27.
Anthony Gordon said his side's inability to keep a lead was becoming a real problem.
"In the past few years, once we scored one at home we are looking for two, three, four where we go on and dominate. We haven't been that team this year," said the Magpies winger.
"The stadium gets a bit shaky when we are ahead. Repeatedly, this year, the second half has been a problem. I spoke about that in the changing room before we went out and still we were poor.
"We let them in the game and let them get comfortable. This has been a problem and we haven't fixed it. I don't think it's a physical thing – mentally we let them in."
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