Newcastle boss Joe Kinnear is blaming his predecessors on the club's current slump in fortunes. The Magpies' are now only two points clear of the relegation zone after a dismal 3-0 defeat at Blackburn.

Kinnear, who took over at St James' Park in September, has a contract until the end of the season.

"I've inherited this," Kinnear said. "They are not my players, everybody has forgotten that.

"But our biggest problem is a lack of strength in depth. Why wasn't it addressed by the last manager (Keegan) or the manager before him (Allardyce)?

"I am carrying the can for it. It is as simple as that.

"I want to be judged on what I bring in. The depth of the first-team squad is not right at the moment.

"We must look to stay up this season and have a big clear-out in the summer and address everything completely differently."