Big Sam issues a warning

As rumours link Mark Hughes with a controversial move to Newcastle from Blackburn, current boss Sam Allardyce - fearing for his future - has issued a formal warning to his players after their shocking performance in the 4-1 defeat by Portsmouth at the weekend.

Allardyce said: "You cannot play football on ability alone. Sometimes we play football or rely on our ability too much to win a game of football. But you need much, much more than that.

"I don't think anybody really had that good a game, the lads themselves know that.

"Week in, week out, you cannot have a day off in this league. You have got to go to your full extent every single game.

"You have got to stick to the basics, and if you don't do that as a side you will never be resilient, you will never look organised, and you will never be a good side in possession or a difficult side to break down out of possession.

"Because we went 3-0 down so early a lot of the players lost their discipline and shape. We became very ragged and ultimately, we lost our football and passing game.

"We created very little in the second half because we lost our shape and discipline."