'I would resign tomorrow': Steve Bruce reacts to latest Newcastle United claim on Karl Darlow leak

Bruce dropped Karl Darlow for relegation-threatened Newcastle United’s home game against Wolverhampton Wanderers last weekend, which ended 1-1.

News of Dubravka’s recall was broken by a national newspaper on the Tuesday before the Premier League game – and Darlow was not formally told until later in the week.

A report this week suggested that Bruce was the source of that story, something he strongly denied ahead of Sunday’s game against West Bromwich Albion at The Hawthorns.

“I will have to say one thing, though, the story with Karl Darlow, that I would go to a journalist and given him an exclusive that he wouldn’t be playing at the weekend, I find totally disgusting,” said Bruce, who also addressed his training ground row with Matt Ritchie.

"If I thought I would do that, I would resign tomorrow, you know. It’s simply not true. It’s not fair on Karl, and, arguably, over the past 18 months, that’s been the most difficult decision I’ve had to make. Yes, he’s got the story right that I’ve had an argument with a player – the rest of it is totally and utterly nonsense.”

Meanwhile, Bruce also gave an update on injuries ahead of the West Brom game.

“We’ve got one or two knocks,” said Bruce. “You know about the major ones with Allan (Saint-Maximin) and (Miguel) Almiron. We’ll see how Isaac Hayden is. He’s been carrying an ankle injury. Emil Krafth has a nasty shin injury.”

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