An exhausting run culminated in a bleak defeat for Newcastle United on Saturday night.

The Magpies were beaten 2-0 by Bournemouth, on a night when Newcastle's injuries and suspensions caught up to them. A battered and bruised Toon team could do nothing to stop the Cherries, as they picked up an important victory.

Newcastle went into the game exhausted after their trip to Dortmund, and it got worse when Miguel Almiron was forced off with an injury. We saw a 17-year-old Lewis Miley make his first Premier League start, while 18-year-old Ben Parkinson made his competitive debut. On top of that, Matt Ritchie was forced to play for an hour at the age of 34. That shows how stretched Newcastle were.

The more the game went on, the more inevitable defeat felt. It was exhausting to watch, reminiscent of Toon teams of the past. There was even anger in the stands at full time, as one fan had a regrettable altercation with Kieran Trippier about the performance.

Tiredness kills, and that was the case on Saturday night. And Toon legend Alan Shearer believes that even Eddie Howe looks shattered after such a busy run of high pressure games.

Newcastle legend Alan Shearer thinks even Eddie Howe is tired Shearer spoke about Newcastle's tiredness on the latest episode of The Rest Is Football podcast alongside Gary Lineker and Micah Richards.

"They just looked shattered," he said.

"Even Eddie looked tired in his interview after the game. You know when he said that it was probably a game too much for us. The pressure they go through and the stress, it is [hard]. He'll need a rest as well.

"I imagine he'll give his players that are fit a rest and the ones that aren't will be every day for treatment and hopefully a few of them are ready in a couple of weeks time."

MORE NEWCASTLE STORIES

At that moment, the camera panned to Eddie Howe, who looked despondent. He was shaking his head, shocked by what he was witnessed. 'What do I do now' he was probably asking himself.

While it is always disappointing when an international break arrives, this one has come at a perfect time for Newcastle. It will give Howe and his players a chance to rest and recharge their batteries, while it is also an opportunity for some of his injured stars to get closer to a return.

They are now without a game for two weeks, but it is a vital period for Newcastle, who face Chelsea, PSG and Manchester United when they return.