LONGSTAFF GETTING SHORT SHRIFT

SEAN LONGSTAFF has been ordered to forget about any dream £40million transfer to Manchester United. Newcastle boss Steve Bruce has advised the 21-year-old midfielder to ignore the “tittle-tattle” that is distracting him.

Longstaff (left) emerged as an Old Trafford target in the summer, as they went after young British talent. He played 13 games for Newcastle last season, and was handed his top-flight debut on Boxing Day, but then suffered a serious knee injury, recovering over the summer.

Bruce said: “I think Sean now needs to concentrate on his own performances, rather than worrying about speculation and tittle-tattle. I don’t think there was any real legs in the Manchester United story.

“Distracted? You are a young lad, so you are going to be. He’s got to learn to put that aside and just get on with the job in hand, which is playing for us.

“I do believe he signed a new contract last Christmas. There is no problem there contract-wise.

“The thing for him now is to forget about contracts, forget his knee injury, forget Man Utd – it’s all about getting back to playing like we know he is capable.”

Bruce, who spoke to his old boss Sir Alex Ferguson on Monday night, says he has plenty of support among the Newcastle hierarchy, despite his side’s bad start to the season.

Bruce said: “I think that is the key, the relationship anyone has with the people who employ you. The club has been in a relegation battle for a long time, hasn’t it? That’s where we find ourselves.

“Sir Alex is always terrific. If there is ever a time you need a bit of advice, he is always there to help you.

“But the one thing in management you can’t do is try and copy somebody, because if you copy somebody you get unstuck.”