GRAEME SOUNESS recently conceded that the Newcastle United manager is only ever two defeats away from a crisis and so, after three consecutive losses, including that to a Wigan Athletic team of “reserves” on Wednesday, it was inevitable that questions would again be asked about his suitability for the job.

Souness is even understood to be doubting his own abilities to turn things around, although a brief discussion with Freddy Shepherd, the chairman, at the training ground yesterday concluded without resignation or dismissal — at least not yet.

“Souness on the brink” was the back-page headline of the local newspaper yesterday, although it should probably have read “back on the brink”. The former Liverpool hero was a surprising choice in the first place, taking the reins at St James’ Park after Steve Bruce, Steve McClaren and Sam Allardyce turned the job down, and his 15 months in charge have never seen him stray far from the precipice. The derby at home to Sunderland in October was regarded as a game that might finish him but victory, and three subsequent wins, gave him breathing space. Now the capitulation away to Wigan, when Paul Jewell rested almost his entire first XI, has ensured that tomorrow’s visit from Aston Villa will see Souness’s head back on the block.

Villa’s own problems may enable Newcastle to claim a restorative win, but many of the doubts about Souness will persist even if the anger on Tyneside dies down. Although injury has deprived him of many of his best players, including Michael Owen, who is likely to miss tomorrow’s match because of a groin tear, the manager appeared to be questioning his own abilities to prepare the players properly after the midweek defeat in the Carling Cup.

Defensive failings persist, seemingly ignored on the training ground, while motivation was clearly lacking at the JJB Stadium, where Wigan’s second string should not have required a late penalty to secure victory. Apologies flowed from every level at Newcastle yesterday, including the chairman, Freddy Shepherd, whose Land Rover was surrounded by irate supporters as he tried to depart.

“I felt sorry for our supporters,” Shepherd said. “I feel especially sorry for those who travelled 165 miles on a freezing, foggy night to watch a performance like that.”

Defeat closed off another potential route to significant silverware and so Alan Shearer will have to cling to the hope of an easy draw in the FA Cup. The captain retires at the end of the season and any chance of finishing with the club’s first trophy in 37 seasons appears remote, to say the least.

“Nobody can come out and defend the way we played,” Shearer said. “You can come up with all sorts of excuses, but there’s no point trying to hide it and defending anything. It wasn’t good enough for a club like Newcastle.

“It wasn’t even Wigan’s first team, but they were the better side on the night. They battled more than us, wanted it more and created more than us. Now we will find out who our men are (against Villa).”

Shay Given said that “it was as bad as it has been for as long as I can remember”, which is quite some admission from the man who has kept goal for Newcastle for so long. Souness may be saved for now by victory over Villa and by the difficulty in attracting top-level candidates at this stage of the season. Bruce’s reputation has waned because of problems at Birmingham City and McClaren has just signed a new contract at Middlesbrough, while Bolton Wanderers would fight to keep Allardyce.

Some of the fans are calling for Martin O’Neill, but he has domestic issues with his wife’s illness. There have been rumours suggesting that Glenn Roeder, now working with the junior teams at Newcastle, could fill in as a caretaker.