Steve Bruce gives fitness update on SIX Newcastle United players as festive injury & illness list mounts

While skipper Jamaal Lascelles is edging closer to fitness, according to Bruce, talisman Allan Saint-Maximin is likely ‘still weeks away’ from a return to first-team training.

Both players have suffered the after effects of bouts of COVID, long after returning negative tests for the virus.

“There is slightly better news on the skipper,” said Bruce ahead of tomorrow night’s visit of Liverpool.

“He is making inroads to join in with the team. He has done a bit of light stuff.

“Unfortunately we are still weeks away with Saint-Maximin.

“Those are our two main concerns.”

Fabian Schar was a surprise inclusion in the Newcastle side beaten at Man City on Saturday evening, given he was one of the players who’d also struggled in shaking off the issues associated with coronavirus.

And having managed to get 90 minutes under his belt, Bruce says United will have to be careful in how they use the Swiss, given the impact over-exertion had on fellow defender Federico Fernandez. The Argentine had to be taken off at half-time against Fulham and missed the subsequent trip to Brentford.

“We are shooting in the dark a little bit,” said Bruce when asked whether the tinkering of his team was having a positive festive impact on the fitness front.

“We didn't think Fab Schar would be fit but he trained a couple of days and played. It will be interesting to see how he recovers because Fede (Fernandez) was the same.

“It has been very, very difficult in that respect. When you have the numbers we’ve had then, of course, it is difficult to manage.

“This thing can wash over but it can also hang around for weeks – like it has for Fab Schar.”

Meanwhile, Bruce has explained the absence of Jeff Hendrick, Paul Dummett and Jonjo Shelvey at the Etihad.

“Hendrick and Dummett are not well,” he said.

“As we know Shelvey had a groin operation a month or so ago and unfortunately he’s been very, very sore.

“Typical Jonjo he wants to play but we have taken him out of the firing line to see if he can recover properly, after what has been a very difficult time for him.”

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