Bruce safe, but admits work to do
STEVE Bruce is set to cling to his job at Newcastle amid mounting fury over a rapidly decaying season.
The Magpies became the first side to lose a Premier League game to seemingly doomed Sheffield United on Tuesday when they went down 1-0 to stretch their own run without victory to eight games in all competitions.
Newcastle remain eight points clear of the drop zone but have collected only two of the last 18 on offer and scored only four goals in the process.
However, it is understood head coach Bruce is in no immediate danger, with owner Mike Ashley desperately trying to sell the club and in no mood to launch a search for a replacement in such volatile times.
Bruce faced questions on his future after the loss at Bramall Lane as fans took to social media calling for him to be sacked.
Bruce was criticised for playing a back five against the league’s bottom team, and the Magpies produced a performance full of negativity.
Bruce said: “Too defensive in the approach? Well, we have played the same sort of way and
I have changed the personnel at the top end to try to give us something a little bit different because we haven’t scored enough or created enough.
“That was my thinking, playing Ryan Fraser and Sean Longstaff as two false No.10s instead of Miguel Almiron and Big Joe (Joelinton). Because of the games we’ve had, I tried to pick a team with a certain freshness. I wanted to see if something different would work.
“I think we’ve — apart from the last month — given ourselves a decent start to the season. But it must be better than that tonight.”