Newcastle United’s new-look attack has the potential to cause plenty of problems for their Premier League rivals this season, manager Steve Bruce said ahead of Sunday’s opener against Arsenal.
REUTERS: Newcastle United’s new-look attack has the potential to cause plenty of problems for their Premier League rivals this season, manager Steve Bruce said ahead of Sunday’s opener against Arsenal.
Newcastle signed Brazilian forward Joelinton from Bundesliga side Hoffenheim for a club record fee reported to be around 40 million pounds and winger Allan Saint-Maximin from Nice, before completing a deadline day move for former striker Andy Carroll.
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“You’re always only as good as your strikers. When we come up against the big teams, defensively we’ll have to be spot on,” Bruce told a news conference on Friday.
“But we have to cause the other teams a threat, we have that threat now… we’ve brought in some very good players who I’m sure the supporters will enjoy watching.”
Despite Bruce’s optimism, some Newcastle supporters remain underwhelmed by club owner Mike Ashley’s decision to replace the popular Rafa Benitez who led them to a 13th-placed finish last season.
British media reported that some fans were planning a boycott of the Arsenal game.
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“Everybody is entitled to boycott if that’s what they want to do. We have to respect that,” Bruce added.
“For me I don’t want it to upset the team and we know what a full St James’ Park can do. I’m sure fans will enjoy seeing the players on the pitch… I want to give the fans a team they can be proud of and can associate with.”
(Reporting by Shrivathsa Sridhar in Bengaluru; Editing by Christian Radnedge)
