Steve Bruce will keep Newcastle United in the Premier League despite a run of just two wins in their last 18 matches.
That's the view of pundit Dean Windass, who admits he feared for the Magpies even when Miguel Almiron, Allan Saint-Maximin and Callum Wilson were all fit.
United's cushion to the relegation zone was cut to just one point last weekend following the dour stalemate at West Brom, and Fulham's win at champions Liverpool.
Bruce will be without his influential attacking trio until April at the earliest, and needs to pick up points in the upcoming fixtures against Aston Villa and Brighton.
Former Bradford City, Hull City and Middlesbrough striker believes it is a "blessing" in disguise that Magpies fans have not been in the stands this season.
The 51-year-old believes Bruce and the players would be "hammered" on a weekly basis - such is the level of discontent among the fanbase.
However, despite this frustration and the absence of key players, Windass still believes Bruce will turn the Magpies' fortunes around and maintain their Premier League status.
The pundit told Football Fancast: “I feared for them when them three were fit. Callum Wilson has come in as a big money signing as a number nine and big boots to fill in the sense of, I know it’s a few years now, but anybody that stands upfront is going to get compared to Alan Shearer.
“Almiron has been in and out. I know Steve Bruce really well, and his standards are so high, but he just doesn’t have the players for the size of that football club are good enough. It’s a blessing sometimes that the supporters aren’t there this season because they’d get absolutely hammered, and there would be even more pressure on the players.
“I think he will keep them up, I know he’s got three injuries, Saint-Maximin is a massive loss to them, he’s a good player, he’s the one whose got the crack. I think the club needs a revamp, from Mike Ashley right through.”
