Because of Botman: No one is talking about £34m Newcastle star’s struggles

Angus Sinclair argues that Sven Botman's defensive errors have diverted attention away from the poor form of Newcastle United teammate Malick Thiaw. Following heavy 4-1 defeats against Leeds United and Coventry City, Newcastle's defense under manager Matthias Jaissle has faced intense scrutiny, with Botman making five direct defensive errors across six Premier League fixtures.

Sinclair highlights that despite the focus on Botman, Thiaw has failed to win a single tackle through six Premier League matches this season. Signed from AC Milan for around £34.5 million in August 2025, the German defender struggled heavily against Coventry, prompting the writer to suggest both players risk losing their spots to Dan Burn or Fabian Schär.