Magpies head to Morecambe for cup tie with point to prove

Steve Bruce will dust himself down after a weekend mauling before attempting to guide Newcastle into the fourth round of the Carabao Cup.

The Magpies boss and his players came in for severe criticism after they were dismantled by Brighton on Sunday in a 3-0 Premier League defeat which took much off the gloss off a fine display as they secured victory at West

Ham eight days earlier.

They will head for Sky Bet League Two side Morecambe this evening with something to prove, and no-one more so than the man in the hotseat.

Bruce said: “I’ve got a decision to make – and let’s be h o n e s t , I got th e d e c i s i o n wrong at the weekend because we were beaten. If you pick and team and are beaten, it’s the manager’s fault, it’s as simple as that.

“It’s the way the Premier League is now, so we’re not alone in it, especially these days. Everything is broadcast, everything is laid bare for everybody to see. You have to admit when you don’t play well enough and when you look an analyse it, we were nowhere near to the level we were the week before.”

Bruce will make changes once again at the Globe Arena – he made 10 for the secondround victory over Blackburn we had, but let’s be fair, it’s – and the injured Jamal Lewis their cup final. Their lads will and Allan Saint-Maximin are be absolutely champing at the unlikely to be the only men to bit to play against a big Premake way. mier League team.”

The reward for the winNewcastle head across the ners is a fourth-round trip Pennines with much of the to either Newport or WatNorth East living under tightfo rd , but Br uc e i s c ou nter coronavirus restrictions ing no chickens despite the and last night, Orient’s clash Shrimps’ 5-0 drubbing by with Tottenham was called off Cambridge on Saturday. after several of their players

He said: “They’ve had as tested positive for Covid-19. disappointing a weekend as Football League clubs no longer have to carry out mandatory testing and Spurs had paid for the checks, although Bruce confirmed the Magpies had not made a similar offer.

He said: “The way the Premier League and the Football League see it is actually when you’re on the pitch, it’s very, very difficult to transmit any disease. It’s in stadiums and places like that, so we’ll do our best to make sure that we try to stay safe.”