Bruce wants big match attitude
BIG-GAME APPROACH NEEDED AGAINST TOTTENHAM
STEVE Bruce has asked his side to match Tottenham Hotspur’s “big-match” attitude at St James’ Park.
Jose Mourinho’s side are still in a battle for a Europa League spot with Newcastle now unlikely to haul themselves into the top 10.
But Bruce’s side are still playing to beat last season’s points tally and the second-highest finish in the last eight years on Tyneside.
With Spurs fresh from a 2-1 North London derby win over Arsenal, Bruce said: “They’ve got a big European place to play for, and you could see what it meant to them.
“When you look at the team that they’ve got and the manager they’ve got, and everything that’s in place at Spurs, you always know they’re one of the big clubs.
“They’ve got big players and something to play for, so it’s very important that we go and match their endeavour which we’ve got to do on the night.”
Bruce cut a dejected figure with the 2-1 loss at Watford and after a couple of days to mull it over he reflected: “We’re disappointed after Saturday, after playing so well in the first half against the Hornets.
“For me, still, when I look at it the first penalty in particular, it has gone against us. “We’ve done OK (since the restart) – we’ve played six, won two, drawn two and lost two, one of them against one of the best teams in Europe, so we’ve done OK.
“But it’s important, as always, to try and finish off well.”
Newcastle actually go into this game looking to net a topflight double for the season over Spurs after a narrow but fantastic win back in August at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
That day Joelinton kept his cool to slot him the crucial strike and ease early pressure on his boss, and Bruce will be praying for another goal like it from the Brazilian forward.
Bruce, who has won 11 matches in the Premier League for the Magpies, recalled: “That was the first game I ever won as Newcastle manager. It was 90 or 100 degrees!
“To beat Tottenham in their own back yard will always stay with me. Now, it seems like a year later, we’ve got them at home.
“Let’s hope we can repeat the performance – we played very well on the day, and defended well. That’s what we’re going to
To beat Tottenham in their back yard will always stay with me ... now, it seems like a year later, we’ve got them at home
have to do again tomorrow night.”
Loanee Danny Rose (below) can’t play against his parent club tonight.
Bruce, who is keen to sign the England left-back, said: “He is ineligible. He is Tottenham’s player but in the next few weeks in particular we’ll be looking and identifying players and seeing where we are.
“He’s done very well for us and
I’m very pleased with him so there will be conversations to have.”