Robbie Savage has claimed Steve Bruce "deserves high marks" for the job he's doing at Newcastle.
In another defence of Bruce, Savage admits that United would not score highly if the season was marked on style of football but says keeping the team away from trouble is an achievement.
Whether Newcastle fans would agree with Savage is very much up for debate. The midweek defeat to Brentford sparked huge questions about Bruce at Newcastle, coming on the back of a series of disappointing league displays.
And with United facing Manchester City, Liverpool and Leicester over Christmas, their eight point gap to the relegation zone may not survive the festive fixtures unless they upset the odds.
Mirror columnist Savage's half-term report saw Newcastle handed 2.5/5 for the season so far.
He wrote: "If you judge their season to date on style of football, or share of possession, they are not going to win any awards.
"But for points on the board, Steve Bruce deserves high marks because he has kept Newcastle out of harm’s way after the latest takeover saga that came to nothing on Tyneside."
