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Phil Jones and Chris Smalling were branded a 'disaster' after Manchester United fell to a 1-0 defeat against Newcastle on Sunday.

The scathing words were from Phil Neville speaking on Match of the Day 2.

The former Manchester United defender let rip at the duo after Newcastle clung on to victory. Poor defending from United led to Matt Ritchie scoring the only goal of the game and sealing the win for Newcastle.

United boast the best defensive record in the league, but Neville says that is in spite of Jones and Smalling.

"They have got the best defensive record because they have the best goalkeeper in the world in David De Gea and [Nemanja] Matic out in front who protects them really well," Neville said.

"But the last two away games [against Tottenham and Newcastle], Smalling and Jones have been a disaster.

"Against Dele Alli and Harry Kane, they got bullied."

Neville says errors aren't letting Smalling and Jones down, it's their lack of decisiveness.

(Image: Manchester United)

"Against Newcastle did they make many mistakes, no, but they created a nervousness and a tension," the now England Women's boss said.

"They were making decision that were strange. They were making decisions all day where you were thinking, 'what are you doing?'

"They brought these two as the best young centre backs in England."

Smalling got away with conceding a penalty in the box, and a 'clear dive' led to the free kick that Newcastle eventually scored their one - and only - goal from.

For the goal, it was Paul Pogba who was punished with immediate substitution after he allowed Florian Lejeune a free header which found Gayle, who knocked the ball back for unmarked Ritchie to score.

Mourinho earlier praised Rafa Benitez’s side for “fighting like animals” to hang on to the win.

Mourinho, whose side have kept a league best 15 clean sheets this season, said: “Were Newcastle lucky yes they were.

(Image: Getty Images Europe)

"Yes they were. But sometimes you attract that with your state of find and they fought for their lives and that is a beautiful thing in football."

Asked if he was disappointed with the defending, Mourinho added: “Yes. It is not a dangerous free kick. Players were in position. But we miss the challenge in the air.

“I remember with my memory a Newcastle play jumping and two of my players looking at him and staying on the floor.

“It is more logical to complain about missing a challenge in the air and missing the second ball. I have to be disappointed.

“We train work organise. Players have their individual jobs. The players have their responsibilities. You know who lost the challenge in the air. It is difficult to be in a position to criticise my player.

“Newcastle fought like animals. Animals is a good word. It’s a compliment. They gave everything they had. They fought like animals.

“It didn’t happen for us today. They have the best feeling of all. They fought for their points and had probably had just a point in mind.

“We made a mistake but then they gave their lives to keep a clean sheet. We could’ve been here for 10 hours and not scored a goal.

“They got from us a defensive mistake and, from a lateral free-kick, they scored."