Newcastle United fans have reacted almost overwhelmingly positively after Steve Bruce named his team to play Aston Villa.
All eyes were on new signing Joe Willock this week, with many hoping that Bruce would have seen enough in training to have faith in Willock's match fitness. And indeed, Willock will start, coming into the central midfield with Jonjo Shelvey out injured.
There are big changes at the back, with Fabian Schar returning to the team after a summer of international duty, and James Lascelles is back to match fitness too. Keeper Freddie Woodman is needed again due to injuries, while Frederico Fernandez keeps his place.
Playing wide at the back, both Jacob Murphy and Matt Ritchie are kept in the fold. Meanwhile, Miguel Amiron and Isaac Hayden also keep their spots, as do the front men Allan Saint-Maximin and Callum Wilson, who some had feared may not be fit.
Newcastle fans have had an almost overwhelmingly positive response to the team, with many feeling that regardless of injuries to some of the players not in the team today, these should be Steve Bruce's preferred eleven.
One fan on Twitter simply said, “This is the correct xi”, while another wrote, “Probably our strongest 11”.
More simple yet was one fan’s response, “I like”.
Another Twitter user posted, “Omg. A good starting xi. Nice one Bruce.”
Less enthusiastic was one fan who felt that it was the best team for Bruce’s system, “Best line-up we could put out whilst sticking to this stupid 3-5-2, except I'd play Lewis over Ritchie.”
But another was wholly enthusiastic, “Love this line-up! HWTL”.
Newcastle United: Woodman, Murphy, Schar, Lascelles, Fernandez, Ritchie, Hayden, Willock, Almiron, Saint-Maximin, Wilson
