The FIVE Newcastle United central defensive combinations Steve Bruce has available for Chelsea amid Magpies injury-crisis

Fabian Schar, Javier Manquillo and Callum Wilson have added to the Magpies’ lengthening injury list, which saw United end the hard-fought 3-2 win over Southampton on Saturday with no recognised central defender on the pitch.

So, with that in mind, who will Bruce call upon in the heart of the Newcastle defence against Chelsea in seven days time?

Here’s a check on the FIVE likely combinations the manager may try.

Ciaran Clark – Isaac Hayden

On paper, this looks to be the most likely United pairing at present, although Bruce may well be keen to shift Isaac Hayden into midfield, due to the fact Jeff Hendrick will serve a one-game suspension for his needless sending off against the Saints.

Clark, who missed the win due to his wife going into labour, is likely to be available again for United – and given the current situation, with doubts about Jamaal Lascelles and Federico Fernandez, will be thrown into the starting XI against the Blues.

Ciaran Clark – Paul Dummett

If this is how United line up defensively on Monday night, then I doubt many will complain.

Solid, dependable and despite the left-side imbalance, a more than capable Premier League central defensive pairing, given that both are natural-born defenders, both of whom are at their most comfortable when playing a central role.

Fresh from a series of setbacks post-long-term injury, Dummett may not have 90 minutes in his legs just yet. And that might well be something on Bruce’s mind.

Dummett did, however, return to first-team training at the back end of last week.

Ciaran Clark – Emil Krafth

A far from ideal option this one – and almost certainly the least likely, due to circumstances.

Krafth can play centrally but is a right-back by trade. And with Manquillo likely out of the encounter it seems rational that Bruce will stick with the Swede on the right of a four-man defence.

His only other option in this department would be Jacob Murphy, also out of position, as he is a right winger by trade.

Ciaran Clark – Federico Fernandez

Argentine Federico Fernandez is on the recovery trail after suffering a muscle injury, due to fatigue following a particularly bad bout of COVID-19.

But he is, however, edging closer to availability. How quick Bruce will throw him in – he’s not been shy in doing so in the past – or should throw him in, remains up for debate.

Should Fernandez be declared fit, though, United would move from a position of weakness, to relative strength in this department, with Clark and Fernandez arguably United’s best central defensive pairing.

Isaac Hayden – Paul Dummett

As per the previous four suggestions, it’s widely expected Clark will form one of the two central defensive positions at Stamford Bridge – but in the unlikely event he doesn’t travel, and Fernandez is not fit, then Bruce is most likely to keep Hayden in his central defensive role and pull Dummett in to the middle, where some would argue he is a better player than at full-back anyway.

As a ‘well down the pecking order’ combination this isn’t, on paper, a disaster option for United, with both proving more than capable in this department.

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