Steve Bruce has insisted he will treat every opponent in the Premier League on their own merits - meaning he could go with two strikers again at Villa Park on Saturday night.
The Newcastle United boss played Andy Carroll with Callum Wilson together in the 3-0 defeat at Arsenal but the duo did not gel in the final third.
Bruce also played a back four rather than a back three with wing-backs but says nothing is set in stone in terms of tactics.
Bruce said: "No, we've done it before with a back four.
"With the problems we've had at centre-back at Arsenal I thought it was the right way to go but we have done it before.
"Certainly we've played two up top before and won a game so it is something I have always said, that we have the ability to switch and that's what we'll do."
Bruce has battled through another week of intense speculation about his own future with one newspaper going as far as suggesting he has just three games to retain his job.
But Bruce will be in the hot seat for today's Press conference at the club's Benton base as he prepares to field questions on the clash against his old club.
When asked where this run of results ranks in his career in terms of a top-flight struggle, Bruce added: "I've been in the bottom half of the Premier League for long periods of time (during his career).
"The one thing you have to do, and the reason you're down there, you go on runs which are difficult.
"It was the start of the season last season and we came through it.
"So it is a difficult period.
"How you handle yourself and how you go about your work is about sticking to your beliefs and principles and get through it and we will do."
