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Newcastle United midfielder Jonjo Shelvey has publicly apologised for his own performance in the club's 2-1 win against Brighton - a decision that has split opinion amongst fans on social media.
Eddie Howe's side secured another crucial win in their bid for survival on Saturday afternoon.
The Magpies, who are now without defeat in their last eight matches, are on course to become the first team in Premier League history to survive relegation after failing to win any of their first 14 games.
It was another determined performance from an in-form Newcastle side who now sit seven points above the relegation zone in 14th. Two quick-fire goals from Ryan Fraser and Fabian Schar in the opening 15 minutes secured all three points.
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But somebody who wasn't entirely convinced by his own individual performance was Jonjo Shelvey.
The former Charlton and Liverpool midfielder said the following in a statement on the club's official Twitter account: "We weren't at our best yesterday but sometimes you have to grind out results - credit to Brighton.
"I apologise for my own performance: I've actually watched the game back twice but I dug deep and am proud of my team for doing the same.
"I honestly thought the fans were absolutely fantastic and it excites me what this place is going to be like in three or four years time and to keep seeing the results you've had in the past eight games but on a bigger scale.
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"The sky's the limit."
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Shelvey's decision to apologise for his own performance after the Brighton win has certainly split opinion amongst fans on social media.
One Twitter user wrote: "A player apologising in a club statement for simply not having a very good game in a match the team won?! Surely this is a new low for this ridiculous trend."
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Another said: "What in the world is this? They won', while another commented: "Apology culture in football is out of control. Enough with this madness."
A fourth wrote: "This kind of nonsense has to stop. Players do not need to apologise for every damn thing."
Despite some negative reaction, a large section of Newcastle's fan base praised Shelvey's attitude and mentality.
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One supporter commented: "An apology wasn't needed, but to see the mentality Eddie Howe has installed to these players is great. Shelvey has improved massively under Howe and has been fantastic of late."
Another said: "5 wins in 6 and we are getting players apologising for performances - it's quite mental how quickly Eddie Howe has changed the mindset of this squad.
A third wrote: "He was probably our worst individual performer yesterday, but it was still a solid 6/10 performance. The fact that he's apologizing for it shows the levels that we're now striving for."
Thoughts on the statement?
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Let us know in the comments.
Topics: Newcastle United, Premier League, Brighton And Hove Albion
