Newcastle United captain Jamaal Lascelles admits the players must accept responsibility for former manager Steve Bruce's demise.

Bruce, 60, was dismissed this week after overseeing a poor start to the campaign on Tyneside, with Newcastle winless in their opening eight league games while boasting the worst defensive record in the top-flight.

"When we are performing as we do it is going to put a lot of heat on the manager," Lascelles said.

"We need to be accountable and look at ourselves as well because there comes a point when it doesn't matter who is in charge, if the collective as players are not doing it, it doesn't matter.

"We are all looking at the social media and stuff. Uncertainty doesn't help when you don't know if the manager is staying or going. A lot of things have happened recently.

"He is a well respected man and 1000 games as a manager says a lot in itself. The time here we had a lot of ups and downs. That is part of football.

"I would like to wish Steve all the best to him and his family in what he does next. Graeme [Jones] is in charge. That is done. There are no excuses or thinking otherwise."