Bruce ‘deeply concerned’ over Almiron’s half-time exit
STEVE Bruce says he is deeply concerned about Miguel Almiron’s half-time withdrawal in the 1-1 draw with Wolverhampton Wanderers.
The Paraguay international hobbled off at the break and was immediately assessed as the game was being played out.
After stretching for a loose ball, Almiron looked to have picked up a muscle injury and Bruce stated he was in “distress” at the interval.
Bruce said last night: “It’s too early but for him to come off and be in the state he is in, we fear the worst.
“He was in distress at half-time. “He will have scans on Sunday to see how he is.”
Bruce also lost Emil Krafth and Allan Saint-maximin with muscle injuries.
He said: “The injuries have disrupted us but we’ve had enough big chances to get a couple of goals but unfortunately we didn’t take them.”
When asked his thoughts after banking just a point, Bruce said: “A point is a point.
“It could be enough.
“We’ll have to wait and see.
“The players are frustrated because they played very well but unfortunately gave away a bad goal.”
Joelinton missed one of 19 chances created by Newcastle, Bruce said: “It’s the same story, if you create chances but don’t take them, in the Premier League you’ll get punished.
“We’ve had three wonderful chances and then one with Joelinton with 10 minutes to go.”
NEWCASTLE United aren’t in a position to be serving up hard luck stories like this.
On a fraught night at St James’ Park this was undoubtedly a big improvement on the last two weeks, but ultimately the two points dropped could come back to haunt them later in the season.
There was nothing wrong with the way they went about their business.
United looked slick, confident and capable of cutting Wolves open for long periods.
But Newcastle’s big weakness this season has been a failure to take their chances when on top.
And even though they had 19 goal attempts against a decent Wanderers side, it was always questionable whether the one-goal lead handed to them by Jamaal Lascelles after the break was going to be enough to take three much-needed points.
Steve Bruce won’t need reminding of that as he sits down on Sunday lunchtime to see if Fulham can cut the gap against Crystal Palace.
Bruce made the big call earlier this week to replace Karl Darlow with Martin Dubravka as the Slovakia international tasted his first Premier League action since July.
Darlow looked wistfully on from the stands as Newcastle made a positive start and should have been ahead in the early stages.
The game’s first big chance arrived with six minutes on the clock as Jonjo Shelvey – with Wolves defenders poised for a first-time delivery – played a short free-kick to Joe Willock, and the on loan Arsenal man clipped the ball into the box for Isaac Hayden but his header was gathered by Rui Patricio.
On 12 minutes, Shelvey played in Miguel Almiron down the right-hand side and the Paraguay international looked odds on to score, but despite shaping his body relatively well he slammed the ball off the base of the post at the Leazes End.
Hayden was then issued with a yellow card on 21 minutes for a foul on Wolves’ danger man Adama Traore.
Newcastle had enjoyed 60% of the possession at the mid-way stage of the first half and Patricio had to be alert to deny both Emile Krafth and then Joelinton in the space of 30 seconds as the home side cranked up the pressure.
A penetrating run down the left from Allan Saint-maximin caused havoc in the Wolves box on 25 minutes when he exchanged passes with Willock but after Portugal star Patricio saved again, the Frenchman’s tap-in
was chalked out for offside.
A minute later another great run by Saint-maximin opened up the Wolves defence but rather than rolling it to the free man in Almiron, he blazed over the top.
Wolves came into the game after the half-hour mark with Dubravka needing a big save low down to deny Traore.
Then on 35 minutes, Pedro Neto curved wide after Traore’s cut back as Wolves ended the half strongly.
Despite creating eight goal attempts, Newcastle went in level at half-time.
Bruce was forced into a change during the interval with Almiron forced off and replaced by Scotland international Ryan Fraser.
The former AFC Bournemouth man unleashed a shot two minutes into his introduction but it cannoned off the body of Conor Coady.
Yet it was Fraser’s contribution on 52 minutes that handed Newcastle a deserved lead.
Saint-maximin had tried his luck on the opposite flank before Fraser
picked up the ball on the right and delivered a fine curling cross on the right into the box.
Jamaal Lascelles, still lurking in the box after a corner, stooped low and powered the ball home to give his side the advantage.
With 56 minutes played, Fraser’s free-kick was rolled into the path of the unmarked Shelvey, but he slammed it over the bar at the Gallowgate End.
United’s rotten injury luck continued just after the hour mark when Saint-maximin hobbled off holding his leg and was replaced by Jacob Murphy.
To rub salt into open wounds for Bruce, he was then forced to withdraw Krafth with an injury with Matt Ritchie replacing him for the last 18 minutes.
Yet just as Newcastle were trying to reorganise they were hit with a sucker punch.
Neto’s right-wing cross picked up out Ruben Neves at the back post and he was able to beat Hayden to the ball before forcing it beyond Dubravka.
The Magpies squandered a glorious chance on 81 minutes when Murphy put one on a plate for Joelinton.
The Brazilian striker’s effort was on target but Morocco international Romain Saiss made a breathtaking block on the line to divert it to safety.
Dubravka made a superb save in the dying seconds when he stopped sub Fabio Silva edging Wolves ahead in stoppage time.
It would have been tremendously harsh on Newcastle but failure to pick up points either side of Christmas have left them dangling above the abyss.
United looked slick,
confident and capable of cutting Wolves open for long periods
Lee Ryder