I think that Newcastle have started the season in reasonable shape as they have had a tough set of fixtures and have collected four points, but they have struggled to score goals with only Crystal Palace scoring less this season.
Steve Bruce, however, has called Saturday’s match with Brighton and Hove Albion a “Cup final.”
This is odd for Bruce to see this game as so important six games in, undoubtedly the Toon need to win but to call the match, a cup final feels premature, to be honest.
Newcastle are in the relegation zone, but Brighton only have one more point than them, and at this stage of the season the table is so close together and a good run of results can see a side shoot up the league.
Bruce though believes that his team have started the season quite well and reserved special praise for Joelinton and Jetro Willems – who appear to have adapted to the Premier League rather well.
Bruce was not a popular choice on Tyneside, but he has done well to settle his squad down and get all of them behind him.
However, statements like this hardly inspire confidence and Newcastle should see this game as a good opportunity to win at home, not a relegation dogfight.