Steve Bruce coy on big question after stunning Newcastle United win over Leicester City

Bruce’s side won 4-2 at the King Power Stadium last night thanks to two goals from Callum Wilson and strikes from Joe Willock and Paul Dummett to all but secure the club’s Premier League status. Newcastle are 13th in the division – and 12 points above the relegation zone – with three games left to play.

Asked if the club was safe, head coach Bruce said: “We’re a darn sight better off than a month ago. We’ve made huge strides, but we can’t take anything for granted.

“Until you get to the magic figure, (you’re not safe), but we’ve given ourselves a chance of getting past 44 points, which is what we got last year. We’re not safe. We’re almost there. Until it’s done, we have to get ready for the next challenge.”

Newcastle were struggling without Callum Wilson and Allan Saint-Maximin in March, and their return last month was the catalyst for an upturn in results.

“Once the big players return, it makes a difference,” said Bruce. “We’ve struggled with injuries and Covid-19, and that’s been a major change.

“We were a threat. We were clinical, which helps. It was as good as we’ve played in the couple of years I’ve been here.”

Leicester manager Brendan Rodgers said: "It's very easy to analyse. It was a game in which we made so many mistakes – and you can't afford to do that.

"It was uncharacteristic. It's a period of the season where we need to be super concentrated.”