United returned to their Benton training centre on Wednesday following an extended time away from their base following last week’s COVID-19 outbreak, which led to the postponement of last Friday night’s trip to Aston Villa.
The Magpies squad have been tested twice this week and, with the Magpies head coach now able to field a side against the Premier League’s second-bottom club at St. James’ Park this weekend, have had a few days of preparation for the fixture against Slaven Bilic’s men.
But ahead of their first outing in over a fortnight, Bruce was keen to praise the efforts of the medical staff whose diligence and work helped ensure their safe return to training following the outbreak.
“(It’s been) difficult, that’s for sure. I have to say a big well done to all the medical people here at the training ground, because it was incredible how it all developed,” said Bruce.
“But their actions to shut us down and not come back to the training ground (were very important). We’ve been away from the training ground since Crystal Palace and that Friday night.
“It’s been very, very difficult as you can imagine, but thankfully we’re far better than where we were last Monday. If you’d have asked me last Monday I wouldn’t have thought we’d have got the game on again, but thankfully since then we’ve been able to reopen the training ground. Everyone’s been tested twice since Monday and proved negative, which has meant that we’ve been able to open the training ground and train properly.
“In that respect, at least we’ve been back to normal for the last two or three days, and we’ve got enough to pick 11 to hopefully win us the match.”
On the players and staff members who are still suffering with COVID, Bruce added: “It is (scary), when you see it spread so quickly and how easy it must be to transfer to people, it’s quite remarkable really.
“Thankfully they are young, they are fit, and for the vast majority of them it just washes over the top of them. But it has affected one or two players who are fatigued, and I’ve got one or two staff who are really poorly with it. We hope that they’re going to be OK.”
Newcastle beat Palace 2-0 at Selhurst Park last time out, with Callum Wilson and Joelinton grabbing the goals just prior to that enforced break.
And Bruce reserved praise for frontman Joelinton as his side look to back up that victory over Palace with another on Saturday – and find the all-important consistency that has proved elusive so far this term.
“All of them bounced in on Wednesday like kids in a sweet shop, because they hadn’t trained or played, so all of them were great on Wednesday – they thoroughly enjoyed themselves back training and playing,” said Bruce after his team’s first training session of the week.
“And in Joe, I’m delighted for him. He’s found it difficult, there’s no excusing that, but he’s tried, worked hard, dug deep at times and never shirked the responsibility, so you want him to continue.
“I think it helps having someone like Callum up alongside him to play off him or to the side of him, and not be actual the focus or the targetman at the top of it. I think he’s done very, very well of late. Let’s hope that continues.”
He added: “It’s never easy to get back-to-back wins in the Premier League – we understand that. We’ve got a wonderful opportunity. We’ve got to keep that consistency and that’s the one thing that everyone is looking for – where you find that consistency.
“But its’s very, very difficult in the Premier League, as we know. We’ve got a wonderful opportunity – let’s hope we grasp it.”
