Bruce battling to give fans new year sparkle

TWO years ago on the same weekend, Steve Bruce’s predecessor stood grim- faced in the bowels of St James’ Park and talked about requiring a miracle to avoid relegation.

Newcastle had just been held to a goalless draw by struggling Fulham and Rafa Benitez was not a happy man.

A point against the Premier League’s bottom club was not what the Geordie faithful wanted going into Christmas.

But they felt safe and assured with Benitez at the helm. Those emotions felt justified when the Magpies, far more comfortably than the Spaniard had predicted, ultimately pulled away from the danger zone. Bruce, above, knows had that “miracle” soundbite come out of his mouth, it would stir very different emotions.

Just as in December 2018, Newcastle never looked like taking a maximum return from this winnable fixture.

They needed a controversial Callum Wilson penalty to rescue a point after Matt Ritchie’s comical own- goal had given the visitors a deserved lead.

Bruce admitted they were fortunate to be trailing by just one at half- time and berated his players for failing to make the most of their numerical advantage after Fulham’s Joachim Andersen was sent off on 62 minutes.

“We struggled with the ball. Even when they went down to 10 men we couldn’t create enough,” conceded the Magpies boss.

But such honest assessments will do little to convince Bruce’s doubters that Newcastle are heading in the right direction under his leadership.

A win in the League Cup quarter- finals at Brentford tomorrow night would bring some sort of feel- good factor.

But it is performances that win hearts and minds and Bruce is a long way from persuading his critics brighter times lie ahead.

Indeed, right now, getting an increasingly sceptical public onside looks like a bigger miracle than the one required to avoid relegation two seasons ago.