NEWCASTLE players "don't know their jobs" under new manager Steve Bruce, according to Michael Chopra.

The former striker came through the youth ranks at St James' Park and made 31 first-team appearances.

And he reckons there is very little work being done on shape and tactics compared to previous boss Rafa Benitez.

Speaking to talkSPORT, Chopra revealed: "I’ve spoken to some senior players at the club – I won’t mention their names – and under Benitez everything was drilled into them on the training pitch: the team shape, how they were going to play – every day.

"Bruce has come in, and some of the players don’t know their jobs – they are not really working on their shape.

"At Newcastle for two or three years those players have overachieved under Benitez.

"But I don’t think some of the players are good enough for the Premier League. They need coaching – they are not good enough."

Newcastle have lost both games so far this season, 1-0 at home to Arsenal and then 3-1 at Norwich.

And Chopra did not hold back in his assessment of the performance at Carrow Road.

'DISGUSTING'

He added: "The attitude from the players was disgusting.

"Once the first goal went in some of them dropped their heads and you’re expecting to go to Norwich and at least to try get a point – or three points.

"They are a newly-promoted team who have come into the Premier League and you’d expect Newcastle to be doing better than how they did."

The Toon face a tricky visit to Tottenham on Sunday before taking on Leicester in the Carabao Cup.

They then face Watford before the international break, another side who have lost two out of two so far.

Chopra, though, reckons the Newcastle faithful are yet to turn on Bruce, but does have sympathy for the former Sunderland chief.

He said: "I feel sorry for Bruce because he’s a Geordie. A lot of Newcastle fans want a Geordie as a manager but it’s a difficult time because he’s coming to replace Benitez.

"People say the fans aren’t behind him, but once he got the job you’ve got 47,000 fans turning up for the first game and 2,000 fans going to Norwich.

"I think they are backing Bruce as much as they can. Newcastle fans don’t want to see their club relegated – they don’t want them to fail.

"There’s a big problem with Ashley but I believe fans are getting behind Bruce at this moment in time."

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