Steve Bruce has been 'knifed' by Newcastle United dressing room, claims Ally McCoist

The Toon boss made headlines this week after it was revealed that he and winger Matt Ritchie had been involved in a heated confrontation on the training ground in the aftermath of last weekend's 1-1 draw against Wolves.

But while McCoist has suggested that such incidents are par for the course in the professional game, he has also argued that the news going public hints at deeper issues for Bruce and his squad.

Speaking on Sky Sports’ Soccer Saturday, he said: “I think looking at the situation, I worry for Brucey.

"Listen, the actual argument with Matt Ritchie, we couldn't care less. These things happen, we’ve seen them 100 times. It happens every day in every training ground up and down the country.

"That’s not the problem, but it looks to me that if a story’s coming out the dressing room, they’re not all singing from the same hymn sheet. The predicament that Newcastle are in, they have to all be singing from the same hymn sheet.

"They're in a dogfight. I really fear for them. They’ve got massive injuries.

"They need to perform as a group, a team, a unit. They have to be united to have any chance of saving themselves from relegation.

"It looks as though he [Bruce] is getting knifed from inside the dressing room, and that’s a big concern, a massive, massive concern.

"The actual argument itself, not a problem with it, but the fact that somebody’s running away and telling stories, that’s your problem.”