Bruce hints at changes for Morecambe trip

The Magpies go looking for a place in the fourth round at the Mazuma Stadium (7:45pm kick-off) having seen off Blackburn Rovers in round two a week ago.

Bruce made ten alterations to his line-up for that game against Rovers at St. James’ Park and has indicated that he may be inclined to do the same against for the trip to the League Two Shrimpers, with a potentially hectic fixture schedule on the horizon should United prevail in midweek.

“We will put a strong team out and there’s people who desperately need to play,” he said. “We could have seven games in the first three weeks of the season.

“I was watching a game last night and, seeing a player pull up after a minute or two minutes, I think we will see a lot of that. We’re asking the players to do a hell of a lot in a short period of time after a lockdown and a lack of pre-season.

“The game management of a few is going to be critical, but we will make changes.”

He added: “I think we all have to look at the situation and have a bit of change and a bit of rotation. Of course now we’ve got a squad of players where we’re able to pick a different 11, if you like.

“I’ll pick a team which I hope is going to be strong enough and good enough to get us into the next round, and that’s always going to be my philosophy.”

United will be without the services of recent signing Jamal Lewis, who suffered a nasty facial injury during the closing stages of Sunday’s 3-0 home defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion, while winger Allan Saint-Maximin could join Martin Dúbravka, Dwight Gayle and Matty Longstaff on the sidelines.

“Saint-Maximin had a scan on his ankle. He tweaked it and twisted it but we don’t think it’s that bad,” said Bruce, who withdrew the Frenchman before the break at the weekend. “I’ve just seen him this morning. I don’t think he’ll make tomorrow night but he’s got a chance maybe for Sunday.

“Young Jamal unfortunately got a horrible kick to his face. We were worried at one stage about his eye, but that seems to be OK. His eye is completely closed now, he’s got a cut above it, so he won’t be involved tomorrow. But thankfully, there’s no real lasting damage.”

Newcastle will face Derek Adams’ side behind closed doors as uncertainty continues to surround the potential return of supporters, despite some lower-league clubs welcoming a limited number of fans back into their grounds over the weekend.

And Bruce admits that the ongoing situation has meant that there doesn’t seem to be as much of a difference between home and away fixtures at present – and that the fans are a big miss all over the country.

“For me, there’s no advantage to playing at home or away – there’s absolutely none. In the past, certainly with me coming and playing at St. James’ Park or when you come up here, you know how difficult it’s going to be with 50-odd thousand roaring at you.

“We have missed them, and probably missed them more than most when you look at our record of late, but it’s all unprecedented where we are. The end of the season was not real, and for me now it’s still got a touch of difficulty amongst it (in that) it’s a big empty stadium in St. James’ – there’s no intimidation at all for the visitors.

“But then again I suppose Old Trafford, Anfield, these big, big huge stadiums, which are notoriously difficult to go and play against them because of what the impact of the crowd has. But I suppose every manager is missing their home support.”

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Steve Bruce's pre-Morecambe media briefing in full