Here are your Newcastle United evening headlines for Tuesday, December 15.
Fraser, Fernandez return for Leeds United trip
Steve Bruce will welcome both Federico Fernandez and Ryan Fraser back into the fold for Newcastle's contest with Leeds United on Wednesday evening.
The pair missed Saturday's win over West Bromwich Albion, with Bruce forced to field midfielder Isaac Hayden at centre-back in Fernandez's absence. Now, however, they are ready and available.
When asked about the availability of players, Bruce told reporters on Tuesday: "Fede Fernandez revealed himself he had the virus. I am looking at the three or four who played at the weekend. The one thing I am looking at is fatigue.
"With that in mind, I will look to make two or three changes."
Bruce also confirmed that Fraser is fit and available. "Ryan Fraser is OK," he added. "It has just been injury and he has trained for the past week and a bit.
"He has been interrupted because of the training ground closure. He is fully fit and like a new signing for us."
Steve Bruce discusses "window to window" plans
Bruce revealed that he hopes to continue the improvement at Newcastle "window by window". Now in his second season at the club, Newcastle have five points more than the same 11-game period in 2019 and 11 points more than in 2018 at the same stage. They could move into the top half of the table with a win over Leeds this week.
But Bruce says that the improvements he wants to make in the transfer window will happen gradually, unlike, he says, the free-spending Aston Villa.
"I have said from day one, and I have made it clear to you and everybody else, I want what is best for the club," he told the Chronicle. "Little by little, we are not in a position to change things dramatically like say Aston Villa have done.
"Slowly but surely, window by window, we get better and stronger. Yeah, we have given ourselves a decent platform to start with. We've been up and down a bit, but that's the Premier League in my opinion."
Dwight Gayle responds to Alan Shearer praise
Dwight Gayle thanked Alan Shearer when speaking to NUTV after the Newcastle legend praised his goalscoring return to action at the weekend.
Gayle headed home the winner in a 2-1 victory on Saturday, his first goal of the season. Shearer heralded the header as "magnificent" and Gayle revealed that it is nice to receive praise from Shearer, who was renowned for his heading ability.
"It's obviously really nice for him to say that about me, he scored loads of great headers," he said.
"Personally, it's not my game but sometimes you've got to close your eyes and luckily it went in for us! It was an important win for us."
