Newcastle United hero Malcolm Macdonald has called on Jonjo Shelvey to sort himself out.

The midfielder was sent off for stamping on Tottenham's Dele Alli in the opening game of the season and admitted later that it was a moment of madness.

Macdonald said: “I met him at Newcastle's indoor training facility just after pre-season started.

“What a lovely, lovely fella. He's an intelligent lad. Great to chat with and there's a depth to him. He's not a superficial lad in any way.

“And I couldn't help but look at him and think, 'You're coming over as a really intelligent fella, so why are you such a hothead?'

“It's just one of those unanswered questions that a footballer will throw up.

“It wasn't that long afterwards that Newcastle were playing Tottenham and Jonjo, right in front of the referee, stamped on Alli.

“Newcastle were up against it anyway but at the time it was 0-0 and Spurs went on to win easily.

“Nobody could sort of stop themselves from pointing the finger at Shelvey and saying, 'The reason Newcastle lost was that you gave it away when you got sent off.'

“It was such a stupid, blatant offence and you think, come on Jonjo, you are an intelligent man, why have you got this within you.

“When it's recognised that someone has that bent in them a lot of people in football fight shy.

“An international manager like Gareth Southgate will take one look at the lad and say, 'Is he going to let me down? Is he going to let his

team-mates down? Is he going to let his country down?'."