Alan Pardew had reservations about the squad and has been proved right

Jamaal Lascelles will not be allowed to help out in defensive injury crisis

The players were deliberately provoked by staff at half-time at Leicester

John Carver offered to quit as Newcastle manager after defeat at Leicester

John Carver offered to fall on his sword during a meeting with Newcastle managing director Lee Charnley after an amazing 48 hours at St James' Park.

Sportsmail can reveal the full disturbing picture of a club in turmoil following a series of meetings between players, management and executives since the shameful 3-0 loss at Leicester on Saturday.

In an attempt to save Newcastle from relegation, Carver told owner Mike Ashley he would stand aside if the club could find a replacement. Incredibly, Newcastle approached Derby manager Steve McClaren to take the last three games of the season, in a desperate attempt to find the points they need to stay in the Barclays Premier League.

John Carver offered to fall on his sword during a meeting with Lee Charnley in the aftermath of losing again

Charnley was unable to take up the offer to get rid of Carver with no suitable replacement available

Newcastle approached Derby manager Steve McClaren about taking over but he turned down the offer

NEWCASTLE UNITED SINCE JOHN CARVER TOOK CHARGE 20th - Newcastle's position at the bottom of the table if the Premier League began when John Carver took over on December 31, 2014. 32 - Goals conceded in that time — more than any other Premier League team and four more than Aston Villa, who have conceded the second most. 12.5% - Newcastle win percentage in the Carver era — under Alan Pardew this season they managed 36.8 per cent. 0.56 - Newcastle's points per game under Carver — this makes him the club's worst manager in the Premier League era. With Pardew at the helm this season they won 1.37. 2 - Carver's Newcastle have conceded two goals per game — under Pardew this season they shipped 1.47. 8 - Things might have been bad when Alan Pardew left, but the club were still eight points clear of the relegation zone. Now they are just two points off the drop zone. Advertisement

McClaren turned down the chance to move to the North East and appears determined to lead another Derby assault on promotion from the Championship next season.

The failure to recruit McClaren, who has failed to get Derby into the play-offs this campaign, forced Newcastle to release a statement backing Carver. But the current boss's power has been eroded over the past few weeks by the betrayal of senior players.

On Monday, the squad attended the club's Darsley Park training centre for a meeting on their own as they look for the win that could keep Newcastle in the top flight.

Coaching staff agreed to stay out of the summit, which was attended by first-team players ahead of a warm-down session and massages for those who played on Saturday.

This is not the first time the players have held a meeting during Newcastle's depressing run, but the slump has continued. A Newcastle source told Sportsmail: 'It's just meetings about meetings.'

Carver has been attempting to develop a siege mentality at the club following a run of results that has left Newcastle two points above the relegation zone.

At half-time at Leicester, it has emerged that the players were deliberately provoked by coaching staff in an attempt to get a reaction after the break.

By then they were 2-0 down following a first-minute goal by Leonardo Ulloa and a 17th-minute effort by Leicester defender Wes Morgan.

Amid fiery exchanges, the players were told they were so bad they would be practising kick-offs in training this week because they had surrendered possession so easily. Just three minutes after the restart, they conceded a third goal when Ulloa scored again, this time from the penalty spot.

Carver and his staff provoked Newcastle's players about conceding early goals at half-time at Leicester

The methods did not do the trick with a goal coming three minutes after the break in a heavy defeat

Leonardo Ulloa celebrates after scoring the second of his two goals in a 3-0 defeat at the King Power Stadiu

Carver fears the worst after his side's run of league defeats was extended to eight. The manager wanted a response from his players in the dressing room, but he fears they lack the necessary leadership and character going into the final three games.

There have been a number of attempts by the Newcastle boss to provoke the players on the training field, but there is now an air of resignation among the squad. Managing director Charnley, who has been hugely supportive of Carver since he replaced Alan Pardew in January, also met with the coaching staff on Monday.

And it has emerged that an administrative decision means young central defender Jamaal Lascelles, who has been on loan at Nottingham Forest for the season, will not be available to face West Bromwich Albion this Saturday.

Jamaal Lascelles, who has been on loan at Nottingham Forest, will not be available to face West Brom

Lascelles' contract at the City Ground runs until the end of May so he will not be available for Newcastle

Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa is on loan at Roma for the season and also cannot help to boost the defence

Newcastle agreed to let Lascelles' contract at the City Ground run until the end of May in case Forest made the Championship play-offs. In the event, Dougie Freedman's side finished 19 points behind sixth-placed Ipswich. On top of that, Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa, the 25-year-old defender signed from Montpellier in 2013, is on loan at Roma for the season.

Newcastle will be without Mike Williamson, sent off in disgrace at Leicester, for the clash with Tony Pulis's side at St James' Park.

Carver could play Ryan Taylor alongside Fabricio Coloccini at centre half.

Vernon Anita is expected to play at right back against West Brom, with Jonas Gutierrez at left back if Newcastle survive the week without any more injuries.

Newcastle will be without Mike Williamson after he was sent off in disgrace at Leicester on Saturday

Mike Ashley was warned about the potential problems at the club in the summer but did not fix them

Newcastle fans protest against the running of the club from the away end at Leicester on Saturday afternoon

Although Newcastle's future hinges on the next three games, Ashley was warned about the potential problems at the club by his then manager Pardew last summer.

During Newcastle's tour to New Zealand, Pardew expressed reservations about the squad and warned the executive they would face a relegation battle.

Pardew, now in charge at Crystal Palace, has been proved right after a run of defeats that began when Newcastle lost 1-0 at home to Manchester United on March 4.

Newcastle have not won a game since the 1-0 win over Aston Villa at St James' Park on February 28 and they now face a massive battle for survival.

Alan Pardew expressed reservations about the squad and warned they would face a relegation battle

There is an outside chance striker Papiss Cisse could return for the final two games but he is upset

After Saturday’s clash with West Bromwich, the team travel to relegation-threatened Queens Park Rangers before their final game of the season, at home to West Ham on May 24.

There is an outside chance striker Papiss Cisse, who is recovering from a knee injury, could return for the final two games, but he remains upset about Newcastle’s attempts to sell him in January.

Cisse, who has scored 11 times for Newcastle this season, has not played since Newcastle’s home defeat by Manchester United, after which he was hit with a seven-match ban for spitting at defender Jonny Evans.