Former Newcastle United captain Nicky Butt pulled no punches after watching Manchester United torn apart by the Magpies at St James' Park.
Butt was a pundit for the game for the Premier League's overseas audience alongside Alan Shearer and David Ginola. However, while he gave Newcastle credit for the victory he wasted no time in shredding the club that he won the treble with in 1999.
Butt, speaking after Bruno Fernandes made an apologetic statement after the 4-1 loss, told PLP productions: "It is easy to sit there and apologise but for me if you go on a football pitch you have to do something about it.
"I did not expect Man United to come here and win. Newcastle are a better team, better individuals, better athletically, more power, more pace. I don't know how Man United go on the football pitch and allow it to happen.
"I came here and lost 5-0 - it can happen. But allowing it to happen is something different, I didn't see one tackle or one bit of aggression. I didn't see anybody go head to head with anybody. You have to at least go and show that we are not going to accept this lying down. They just lay down and let themselves get beat too easily."
Butt heaped praise on the current Newcastle midfield of Bruno Guimaraes, Joelinton and Sandro Tonali. But he also accused Man United of playing "walking football" and they were overpowered by the Magpies trio.
The ex-England star said: "They have no power and no pace, it is sad to see. I see Christian Eriksen who was a top player and now can't move, can't run.
"The midfield of Newcastle is so powerful. I didn't see a Man United team that were prepared to go and kick somebody and show that they care. For me it's walking football. It's too passive, there's no energy It's slow."
Newcastle scored twice after cheap Man United giveaways which handed Harvey Barnes and Bruno Guimaraes gift-wrapped goals. Butt reflected: "It was too easy. Harvey Barnes ran right through the middle of the pitch, that can't happen.
"He should have been thinking he should have passed to Isak for the goal but it was that easy for him. A good finish though."
Yet the World Cup 2002 ace was enraged by Man United's insistence to play the ball across the 18-yard box and try to do things the 'Man City way'. He said: "They played most of the second half playing passes on the edge of their own box playing three yard passes.
"It's just boring to watch. As top class players, when do they realise with their own brains that we can't pass the ball next to our own box because we will concede goals.
"Clip some balls up the pitch, at least try to get the balls in the right areas. Somebody has to have the nous to clip some balls up the channels they don't even do that.
"You can't blame the manager for that, with 52,000 you can't hear the manager so somebody has to take control of the game. They are not good enough to play on the edge of their own box and they keep doing it. It was ridiculous."
Butt also praised 6ft 7in Blyth warrior Dan Burn with the former Three Lions player describing the Toon star as one of the best defenders in the country right now. Butt said: "I think what he does well is he knows his strengths, he knows what he's good at and he knows his weaknesses.
"It is a really good talent to have to know your strengths. I knew what I was good at and what I wasn't the best player and knew I shouldn't dribble around. You do your strengths well which is what he does and he gets his rewards.
"He is looking like one of the best centre-backs in the country at the minute."
