Wednesday 9 January 2019 17:15, UK
Ayoze Perez admitted there is something "wrong" at Newcastle as they attempt to avoid a Premier League relegation fight.
Newcastle will head into Saturday's trip to Chelsea sitting just two points clear of the bottom three and are without a win in their last four league games.
Manager Rafael Benitez's contract is up at the end of the season and he is unwilling to sign an extension until he receives assurances regarding the club's ambition for the future, something which is unlikely to be forthcoming as owner Mike Ashley awaits developments in his attempts to find a buyer.
Newcastle have won just four times in all competitions in 23 games this season, a run which culminated in Saturday's 1-1 FA Cup third round draw with Sky Bet Championship Blackburn at St James' Park.
Asked about that game, Perez said: "Something is wrong. It wasn't good enough, but we have to keep going now.
"It's going to be a long January but we must stick together and face up to it."
Asked to elaborate, the 25-year-old Spaniard added: "I don't know exactly, but it is a strange thing. You can't struggle as much as we are in home games. That means something is wrong.
"It is strange because there is no consistency. Sometimes it is individual performances, sometimes it's not like that and it's team performance.
"It can't be individual every time as we have changed players and rotated. I think there is a piece of the jigsaw that is missing.
"It is holding us back and it's why we are struggling. We've won twice at home and that's just not acceptable. It's not good enough so something should change."
Benitez is hoping that change could come in the shape of new arrivals this month, but with nine days of the transfer window having already elapsed, the club are yet to make any signings.
Atlanta United playmaker Miguel Almiron is a key target, but the finances of that deal - Newcastle appear likely to have to smash their transfer record and wage structure as well as pay sizeable agents' fees if they are to land him - could prove prohibitive.
Sources on Tyneside insisted on Wednesday that nothing had been agreed amid claims that only the fee remained to be settled.
