Erik ten Hag seeks desire in top-four fight

The boss was disappointed by the Reds’ performance on Tyneside, with second-half headers from Joe Willock and Callum Wilson winning it for the home side.

“I said after the game in the dressing room, ‘It can’t be that the opponent is angrier than we are,’ Ten Hag told BBC Radio Five Live.

“The race for the top four is going to be a fight, and you can only win that when you match the desire and passion of the opponent.

“Setbacks always you have to deal with, we have to leave this behind and only take the lessons from the determination, about the passion and desire.”