Ciaran Clark calls Newcastle United capitulation against Leeds United 'embarrassing' amid 'schoolboy' defending

Newcastle United defender Ciaran Clark has called his side's 5-2 defeat to Leeds United 'embarrassing', believing the Magpies defending was 'almost schoolboy'.

Steve Bruce's men were humbled by the Whites on Wednesday evening at Elland Road in Premier League action.

United went behind inside the opening half an hour to a Jeff Hendrick strike but Patrick Bamford hit back before the interval.

Rodrigo put Marcelo Bielsa's team ahead in LS11 on the hour before Clark himself levelled the game once more with a header from a corner.

Newcastle, though, conceded three goals in the final thirteen minutes as Bruce saw his side defensively capitulate late on in West Yorkshire.

Stuart Dallas put Leeds back ahead before Gjanni Alioski and Jack Harrison bagged within two minutes of each other to claim all the spoils and leave an emphatic look to the scoreline.

Clark was left frustrated at the full-time whistle following his side's concession of five goals and made his feelings known over.

"We're obviously really frustrated after that," Clark said post-match.

"We've done well to get ourselves back in the game and three mistakes have cost us in the last 12 or 13 minutes. It's about being switched on and we switched off for the last two [goals].

"It's embarrassing really when you look back at it. Someone needs to make a foul for the team, we all know that. For it to happen a second time a minute later... there aren't any words really.

"We wanted to try and frustrate them. We managed to get the goal and go in front without having too much of the ball.

"We knew they were going to have a lot of the ball. We know how good their movement is and how fit they are.

"We were in the game. In the second half we came out and we're still in the game. I think there's a penalty shout, I haven't seen it back. A few of the boys said it was and it would change the game.

"But the last twelve or thirteen minutes is really frustrating for us."

Asked whether the club's recent coronavirus outbreak was a factor in the disappointing finish, he said: "I don't think so. Not with the way that the goals went in.

"That's just almost schoolboy really. For it to happen once but then a second time a minute later... like I said, there are no real words for it.

"We'll look back at it in training to see where we went wrong."