TOON WERE LUCKY TO GET BRUCE SAYS JORD
JORDAN PICKFORD says he knew Steve Bruce would be a hit at Newcastle.
The England and Everton goalkeeper goes up against his former Sunderland boss today when the Toffees travel to St James’ Park.
Pickford, 25, was in the Black Cats youth team when Bruce was in charge at the Stadium of Light.
But although Bruce’s appointment as Rafa Benitez’s replacement in the summer was met with anger from many Toon fans, Pickford (above) says he knew the Geordie would prove them wrong. And after a bumpy start Newcastle are 10th, three points ahead of Everton.
Pickford said: “They’re doing alright. Steve Bruce was getting a lot of pelters but I had him at Sunderland and knew what a top bloke and top manager he was.”
Pickford is getting to grips with a new manager after Carlo Ancelotti kicked off his Everton career with a win over Burnley on Boxing Day. Ancelotti is the fourth manager the England keeper has worked with at Goodison Park despite joining the club as recently as summer 2017.
“It was brilliant to get the three points with the new manager coming in,” said Pickford. “We’ve been on a good run. The manager was saying before Burnley that we want to be playing football but that we also had to show character and fight.
“It’s all about attitude.” After today, the Blues face a New Year’s Day clash with Manchester City before a Merseyside derby against Liverpool in the FA Cup a week tomorrow.
“It’s all about momentum now,” added Pickford. “We go to Newcastle and there’s another three points that need to be picked up.”
■Newcastle, Leicester and Bournemouth all play again after 45 hours, 30 minutes. ■Manchester City are one of five clubs who are having to play twice in less than 48 hours. ■Wolves have the shortest turnaround at 44 hours and 45 minutes. ■Sheffield United have the best break at 75 hours ■Liverpool have 68 hours, 30 minutes
vSt James’ Park, 3pm
STEVE BRUCE has branded the Christmas schedule “ludicrous” and warned the fixture overload puts players at risk.
Newcastle host Everton today, just 48 hours after their 4-1 defeat at Manchester United.
They are by no means the only club having to cope with such a speedy turnaround, but Toon boss Bruce believes it forces the players to walk an injury tightrope.
“All of us understand it’s ludicrous,” he said. “I know it’s the festive period, but we say the same thing, year in, year out.
“For the first four months of the season, we play 12 games. Then you’re asked to play six or seven in a month. It’s ludicrous. But it is what it is. Players get injured, fatigued. A footballer can play seven days a week if you want, but he’s not going to be as good on the seventh as on the first.
“It’s impossible. You’re asking players to play tired. That’s when injuries happen and it becomes a bit of a lottery.”
Bruce admits nothing has changed in the years since the title slipped away from Manchester United in 1992 after they were beaten up by the fixture list.
“I remember us losing the league,” said Bruce. “We had to play four games in eight days – ridiculous.
“It’s never changed since then. We ask the players to do too much. We’ve seen what we’ve asked the Liverpool players to do this month – nonsense.
“We don’t seem to learn. I know there’s a break this time, for the first time, but it’s in February. It doesn’t really make sense to me at all. Look, I was a hairy-a**ed centre-half. It didn’t matter to me. I could play every day.
“But the ones who have to run, lads who are playing and doing 12 and a half to 13km in midfield. We’re asking them to go again on Saturday. We all have to look at it. We moan about it often enough.”
Despite an error-strewn display at Old Trafford, Newcastle have the best home defensive record in the Premier League. They have leaked just seven goals in nine games, better than leaders Liverpool, champions Manchester City and second place Leicester, with each conceding nine.
The Geordies are undefeated at home in the league since an opening-day loss to Arsenal, winning four of their last six.
Bruce added: “It’s important the home form stacks up. We haven’t lost since our first game of the season, we have given ourselves a chance going into the New Year period.”