Alan Shearer refused to blame controversy over a disallowed goal
by Michael Owen as he got a real taste of what life on the bench
will be like in his first game as a manager.
Shearer is more used to the safety of the Match of the Day sofa,
but he had to front up to explain
Newcastle's comprehensive
defeat by
Chelsea in the first of the eight games he has to save
them from relegation from the Premier League.
Television replays showed Owen's 71st minute shot, deflected
first by Alex and then John Obi Mikel, had crossed the line before
it was cleared by Ashley Cole. But Shearer survived his first 90
minutes as manager well enough to realise he had slotted straight
into the routine.
'I thought the ball was in, but I would say that,' he said. 'I'm
already getting into manager's cliches. I asked the linesman and he
said he wasn't sure and if he could not see it, he could not give
it. But I gather TV replays clearly show the ball was over the
line. But it isn't the linesman's fault that we lost the match.
'It might have given us a rousing last five or 10 minutes, but
it's all ifs and buts. If we'd scored it could have given us a lift
- we'll never know.'
Frank Lampard admitted his surprise that the atmosphere in St
James' Park for Shearer's first game in charge was not more
intimidating. 'We came here expecting a cauldron but it never
developed,' he said.
'Maybe it was because they didn't create so many chances or
apply enough pressure. We have big players at Chelsea and we have
to deal with all sorts of circumstances. You use these situations
to help yourselves.
'This may not have been a classical performance but we were well
worthy of our win.'
Newcastle midfielder Peter Lovenkrands was taken to hospital
wearing breathing apparatus after collapsing in agony after a
collision with Florent Malouda, who appeared to catch him
accidentally in the back with an elbow.
Newcastle's Peter Lovenkrands was stretchered off
the field and taken to hospital wearing breathing
apparatus
