Newcastle United legend Alan Shearer feels John Carver's public attack on his players after defeat at Leicester City was a last roll of the dice.

Shearer believes Carver feels he now has nothing to lose.

"My feeling, or guess, is that he probably understands that he won't be there as manager next season, he's tried to be nicey nicey with the players to protect them and look after them and he's thought if I'm going to go down I'm going to go down fighting my way - not the players' way.

"They've had it too easy for too long now."

Shearer feels that Carver's claim that Mike Williamson got sent off was a "massive statement".

He added: "That is a huge accusation.

"It's always a difficult time for managers to speak when they are raw after a performance that was lacking effort and passion and commitment.

"For the manager to say what he said to his players then come out and say what he said to the Press is a massive statement.

"I would love to be in the dressing room on Monday morning."