Steve Bruce reveals end of season objective for Newcastle United

Newcastle United head coach Steve Bruce has stated that he aims to lead the team to a top ten finish.

An official start date from the Premier League has not been announced, but all 20 clubs have been participating in training. Phase one of Project Restart allowed teams to return to their training grounds, but players were asked to train in small, isolated groups.

New reports claim that the Premier League has given clubs the green light to properly prepare for games by allowing contact training. Newcastle United captain Jamaal Lascelles recently stated that the Magpies are fit and impatiently waiting for the season to kick off again.

Through 29 games, Newcastle United are 13th in the table with 35 points, and are eight points clear of 18th-placed Bournemouth. In a recent interview for the Chronicle, Steve Bruce claimed that the objective is to win as many games as possible to break into the top ten.

At present, Burnley are 10th in the table with 39 points. When looking at the Magpies’ schedule it is certainly possible for them to earn a top ten finish. Of the nine games remaining on the schedule, Newcastle United will go up against five relegation-threatened sides, with the original schedule being set up for the Magpies to face Aston Villa (19th), Bournemouth (18th) and West Ham (16th) consecutively.

Those types of games are favorable for Newcastle United, but Bruce’s side will also have to go up against some top teams. Three of the club’s last five games are against Manchester City, Tottenham and Liverpool.

The other three opponents Newcastle United will have to play consist of Sheffield United, Watford and Brighton. On paper, most of the games on the Magpies’ remaining schedule have them labeled as favorites, but there are no easy games in the Premier League.

It is worth mentioning that Newcastle United are still in the FA Cup, and if they can upset Manchester City, it will be interesting to see how they balance an accelerated league schedule and domestic cup. It will be critical for Bruce to switch the rotation every few games to avoid injuries to key players.

Most players, with the exception of Danny Rose, are excited to get back on the pitch and that is the mentality fans want to see. Newcastle United began playing more attacking football before the season was put on hold, but if the Magpies pick up where they left off they should fulfill their objective.

Something else to think about is how a top ten finish would impact Bruce’s role going forward. He already has the backing of the players, but would a top ten finish lead to more job security for Bruce? Let us know in the comments section below.