International break did not seem well timed for Steve Bruce but may have helped Newcastle

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After beating Manchester United, and the positive atmosphere which followed it, the last thing Steve Bruce will have wanted for Newcastle, was another international break.

Steve Bruce would likely have wanted to keep the ‘feel good’ vibes going, particularly as he has not had too many of those since his summer appointment, and take the upbeat tone into the next game with Chelsea.

But bizarrely, the break may have actually done Bruce, and Newcastle, a favour ahead of their trip to Stamford Bridge on Saturday.

Chelsea were on a roll prior to the latest break, having won their last four games, scoring 15 goals in the process, and they were carrying a lot of momentum going into it.

So the weekend off may have broken some of that for Frank Lampard’s side, and on Saturday, they will have to start from scratch, to a certain extent, and try to rebuild any of that momentum they may have lost.

Newcastle go to Chelsea with nothing to lose and everything to gain

Of course, Newcastle also lost much of their head of steam they were hoping to maintain, but with Saturday’s game likely to be seen by many as a straightforward home win, Newcastle are going into the game with nothing to lose anyway.

As a result, Bruce can go into the game largely free of pressure, with everyone except the most rose-coloured glasses-wearing Toon fans, expecting his side to lose.

As a result, the pressure is all on Lampard’s injury hampered side, and Newcastle should try to expose that, and put in another performance reminiscent of their win at Spurs.

That said, immediately after the last international break, Chelsea went to Wolves and secured a very impressive 5-2 win, so it may not be worth pinning all of our hopes on it.