Bernard laments Lua Lua blunder

The African star is on loan at Portsmouth until the end of the campaign, and popped up with a late equaliser to deny The Magpies all three points in Sunday's 1-1 draw at Fratton Park.

French defender Bernard insists it was inevitable that Lua Lua would come back to haunt his employers, and feels the oversight could cost his club dear in their chase for a UEFA Champions League place.

"He killed us - I don't think he should have been playing in the game," declared the full back.

"It was not a good idea. I knew he would score and that's the problem.

"He's a very talented player."

Craig Bellamy echoed Bernard's sentiments, insisting that Toon chiefs were tempting fate by not writing a clause into the loan agreement preventing the Congo striker from playing.

"I don't know who made the decision to let LuaLua play because he was always going to score - no doubt about it," he said.

"We can't afford any more slip-ups if we are going to get into the Champions League.

"It was a big disappointment to lose the lead so late at Portsmouth but we have to regard that as a point gained rather than two lost because we didn't play well on Sunday."