Criticism — what's expected to come back (3)
I believe the answer is:
rap
'criticism' is the definition.
(rap is a kind of criticism)
'what's expected to come back' is the wordplay.
'what's expected' becomes 'par' (par is the expected or typical standard).
'to come back' says the letters should be written backwards.
'par' back-to-front is 'RAP'.
(Other definitions for rap that I've seen before include "Strike; music style" , "Short quick tap" , "taken by those held to blame?" , "black music is a > blow" , "Sharply strike; rebuke" .)