Newcastle captain Kieran Trippier was involved in a heated discussion with supporters following the Magpies' 2-0 loss at Bournemouth on Saturday.
The defeat was the second in five days for Eddie Howe's side – after they were beaten 2-0 by Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League on Tuesday – and some fans seemed to take their anger out on the players.
As a result, at full-time, Trippier approached the away end at the Vitality Stadium – where a Dominic Solanke brace clinched three points for Howe's old club – to challenge the apparent criticism being aimed at his injury-ravaged side.
“How many injuried have we got?”.Kieran Trippier replying to Newcastle fan complaining…pic.twitter.com/OWsgUyC6hhNovember 11, 2023
Clearly in an emotional state, the Newcastle skipper asked, while gesturing towards his teammates: "So the lads are not giving everything? How many injuries have we got? How many injuries have we got?"
Later, manager Howe insisted Trippier – who had to be ushered away by a steward and teammate Joelinton – was alright in the wake of the argument. He explained:
"Kieran is fine. Emotions run high. We all feel a bit emotional after that from our perspective. We value all our away support; we value them greatly. We thank them for their support."
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Discussing the incident on Saturday night's Match of the Day, former Newcastle midfielder Jermaine Jenas said:
"You can see both sides of the coin: it's an emotional moment, but the reality is Newcastle are having a really solid season."
Trippier and co. return to action after the international break with a home clash against Chelsea on 25 November – before travelling to PSG in the Champions League three days later.
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