Newcastle United take on Leeds United tonight in the Premier League, and it is a must-win game for the Magpies.
The club are slipping closer to the relegation zone after an awful run of recent results.
Newcastle haven’t won any of their last 10 games across all competitions, and confidence is very low at the moment.
The defensive solidity Bruce has always built his teams on is no longer there, and chance creation and goalscoring is a big struggle at the moment.
Standing in the way of a much needed three points tonight are Leeds, who have been having a hard time themselves lately.
But Marcelo Bielsa’s side will hope for a repeat of the 5-2 win against Newcastle in December.
Karl Darlow is likely to continue in goal, and Bruce might wish to go with four at the back against a Leeds side who commit men forwards.
Javier Maquillo, Jamaal Lascelles, Ciaran Clark and £12 million man Matt Ritchie (BBC Sport) may form the backline, with the struggling Jamal Lewis, 23, dropping to the bench.
In midfield, 14-cap Scotland international Ryan Fraser could come back in after starting on the bench against Villa, with Miguel Almiron on the opposite flank. Bruce gave the impression Allan Saint-Maximin is not quite ready to start.
Jonjo Shelvey and Isaac Hayden may be paired together in the middle. Perhaps Shelvey should be deployed a little further forward than his partner, as he possesses the creativity the forwards so badly need.
In attack, Callum Wilson and Andy Carroll could partner up once again.
Newcastle just have to go for it – Leeds leave themselves exposed and have the second-worst defensive record in the division that surely needs taking advantage of.
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