Steve Bruce reveals what was 'pretty evident' to him after Newcastle United's goalless draw

Steve Bruce pointed to Newcastle United’s performance at The Hawthorns as evidence of the “togetherness” at the club.
Martin Dubravka tips a shot over the bar at The Hawthorns.Martin Dubravka tips a shot over the bar at The Hawthorns.
Martin Dubravka tips a shot over the bar at The Hawthorns.

Bruce's relegation-threatened side claimed a hard-fought point from yesterday’s goalless draw against second-bottom West Bromwich Albion.

Newcastle moved up to 16th place following the result, but the club is now just one point above the Premier League’s relegation zone following in-form Fulham’s remarkable win over Liverpool at Anfield.

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The Wests Brom game followed a well-publicised training ground row between Bruce and Matt Ritchie, an unused substitute at The Hawthorns.

Bruce insisted that his players were behind ahead of the West Brom game, and he was asked if the performance showed that everyone was on the “same page” at the club.

“It was certainly pretty evident, because the reason we got a point was the togetherness – and their attitude towards it,” said United's head coach, who was without Allan Saint-Maximin, Callum Wilson and Miguel Almiron. “And, yes, we lacked a little bit of quality at times, of course we did.

"You know, as I said, big players, who we’ve invested a lot of money in over the last couple of years, to be without them … the team had to roll up their sleeves, and get prepared to stick in with it, and take a point if that’s what it was going to be. I thought we did that manfully.”

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Newcastle – who have won two games in 18 in all competitions – take on Aston Villa at St James’s Park on Friday night.

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