Steve Bruce issues Newcastle United update on Callum Wilson and Allan Saint-Maximin ahead of West Ham United game

Saint-Maximin came off the bench against Burnley last weekend and changed the game.

The winger – who has recovered from the groin injury he suffered in late February – scored one goal and set up another in a 2-1 win for relegation-threatened Newcastle United while Wilson came off the bench to make his comeback from a hamstring problem.

Bruce must now decide whether to start them against fourth-placed West Ham.

“Well, they’re both available,” said Bruce. “They’ve both trained.

"They’re both unscathed from last week, when we took the decision to start them on the bench.

"Obviously, the clamour is to start the pair of them, but obviously we’ve got to look at the situation and manage it, because they’re both been out for along time with muscle injures. We have to guard against it. They rely so much on their pace and power.”

Newcastle have struggled to win without Saint-Maximin and Wilson this season, while Miguel Almiron came to the fore following the arrival of coach Graeme Jones in late January.

The loss of Wilson in February hit the club particularly hard given form up front, with the striker, signed from Bournemouth last summer, having scored 10 Premier League goals this season.

Asked how important the pair are to him, Bruce said: “You only have to look at statistics for the two of them to realise when they’re in the team we’re simply better. The facts are there in front of you.

"I think Allan has only started something like 11 or 12 games this season, and we’ve won six of them, and we’ve only won eight all season.

"I could ask you on every team in the Premier League, especially at top end of the pitch, you take your two or three players out of there, you’re creative ones, ones you’ve invested in, it’s going to give you a struggle, because, you know, that’s what you buy them for, to make that difference.

"Lets’s hope they can stay fit and go to the end of the season. Everybody knows we’re a far better side than when they’re in it.”

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