A few Newcastle United fans have been reacting on social media after one supporter noted a frequent trend of Steve Bruce’s managerial career.
Bruce oversaw his 22nd game in charge of the club on Wednesday as we lost 3-0 at home to Leicester City, on a day we also lost four players in the space of 15 minutes through injuries.
Jetro Willems was forced off late in the first half with a groin issue before being joined on the sidelines by Javier Manquillo seconds before the break with a hamstring strain.
Moments after the team returned to the field to try and get back into the match, Bruce was forced to make his third change of the game to replace Jonjo Shelvey when he suffered a hamstring injury, and minutes later, Fabian Schar hobbled off with a hamstring issue of his own to leave us playing with ten men.
Bruce may also be without DeAndre Yedlin going forward as he was forced to leave St. James’ Park with his arm in a sling, with the boss suspecting the USMNT right-back has broken his hand.
We are already without a clutch of first-team regulars with Jamaal Lascelles yet to return from a knee injury, Allan Saint-Maximin out with a hamstring strain, and Paul Dummett out with a groin issue.
Are you concerned by all the injuries we have suffered?
Yes, absolutely
No, it's part of the game
As one supporter has recently noted online, injuries are not a rare thing for Bruce, having bemoaned the ‘obscene’ number of issues his Sheffield Wednesday side suffered last season, blamed injuries for a dip in form while at Aston Villa and saw problems mount up with Hull City.
Here are some of the messages shared as fans reacted to the similarities that can be drawn from the past five years of Bruce’s managerial career…
quite alarming tbf. not the fact that he blames injuries for dips in form. more the fact that injuries were few and far between under rafa and his staff but now bruce and his staff are here were absolutely riddled with injuries across the board. it’s as if they’re to blame eh.
— Wayne heathwaite (@Wayneheathwaite) January 1, 2020
98 per cent of managers would have said injuries are an excuse for losses, a really ridiculous statement to say hes the only one using it consistently
— HARRY (@harrysteanson) January 1, 2020
Injuries are a weak excuse in this day and age. Especially when they’re fatigue/strain related. Medical/physio staff should know if a player can complete 90min or not, it’s not the 90’s anymore.
We probably have the cheapest staffs in the league though
— Dell ❄️ 13-3 (@agbnufc) January 1, 2020
It’s no secret that injuries affect the team performance especially if they involve key players. I don’t get what the fuss is about.
— Kelvin Excel (@KelvinExcel4) January 1, 2020
Who’d have thunk it!
— Jail for Ashley (@AshleyJail) January 1, 2020
The highest the club have been in about 7 years but still having a go at the manager petty
— Steven Lowery (not) MBE (@Lowery01) January 1, 2020
Same for majority of managers at most clubs at some stage
— Chris #NUFC #1Life #MentalHealth #Foodie (@Chris44931256) January 2, 2020
In other Newcastle United news, Bruce has confirmed that he will be without a midfielder for the next four months.