When the season started, both Ciaran Clark and Federico Fernandez were on the outside in terms of first-team places. Even with Florian Lejeune rehabbing from his knee injury, both Ciaran and Fede did not make a start in the league for the first two months of the season.
Bruce preferred a back three of Fabian Schar, Jamaal Lascelles, and Paul Dummett to start the campaign. However, a combination of injuries and rotation saw both players get chances that they refused to relinquish.
In the case of Federico Fernandez, it was an injury to Fabian Schar that cleared a path for the Argentine into the first team.
Fernandez made his first start against Wolves in October when Fabian Schar was ruled out with a knee injury. He’s kept his place and started every Premier League game since while scoring a couple of critical goals against West Ham and Southampton.
However, Fede is one of many Magpies whose future at the club are still up in the air. Last week, Sky Sports reporter Keith Downie tweeted the following about Federico Fernandez.
Had a chat with Newcastle’s South American pair Federico Fernández & Miguel Almiron this lunchtime. Defender Fernández revealed he’s yet to hold any talks with the club about a new contract. His current deal is of course up in the summer #NUFC
— Keith Downie (@SkySports_Keith) February 27, 2020
The Chronicle are reporting that the 31-year-old is attracting attention from clubs in China, Russia, and the Middle East with his contract set to expire in four months.
However, they are also claiming that Fernandez is keen to continue his career with Newcastle. The club have an option to extend his contract for another year, which we have to assume they will do.
Fernandez is reportedly very happy on Tyneside and will likely hope he can work out an extension beyond just next year if Newcastle do trigger their option.
According to the Chronicle, Fede is relaxed about the situation and, despite interest from elsewhere, feels there is plenty of time to work something out with Newcastle.
With Steve Bruce transitioning to a back four last weekend, Fernandez has still managed to keep Fabian Schar out of the team. It’ll be interesting who Bruce selects at center-back against West Brom tomorrow and if he’ll stick with the new formation.
Whatever he decides, we’ll likely see Fernandez get the nod once again at Southampton on Saturday to make his 20th straight start in the Premier League.
What Will Be The Result Against West Brom In The FA Cup?
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48 comments so far
Jib
Mar 2, 2020 at 12:41 PM
Comment #41Steve Bruce at his presser confirms he will name a strong team tomorrow and says:
“We have 5,000 fans and they will want to see their team get to the quarter-finals. We know the PL is important but let’s hope we can progress. Let’s go and enjoy it.”
He confirms he will persists with NUFC’s new system:
“We created a lot more opportunities which was the aim of the exercise. Our achilles heel is we haven’t been able to score enough so we need to keep working on it. We didn’t take our opportunities .
Saturday was better but we didn’t score. We need to take our opportunities. They’re professional players, we are not asking them to go to the moon. If they are comfortable with it, which they were, we didn’t concede then we will keep going with it.”
Do One Dinosaur ©
Mar 2, 2020 at 12:42 PM
Comment #42Lindisfarne: If only I could see into the dug out. I’d eyeball him and it would all be over…. I’d be left as king of the Dinosaurs and he’d be banished from the ground after he had run away
Raaaaarrrrrggggghhhhh! Chomp Chomp
#BoycottAshley ( OP)
Mar 2, 2020 at 12:43 PM
Comment #43Carol was signed to appease fans?
It pissed off most of the fans I spoke too.
A pointless signing and waste of a squad place, more like two fingers to the fans.
Do One Dinosaur ©
Mar 2, 2020 at 12:45 PM
Comment #44Jib: The most sensible thing he has said.
Only one more change needed. Joelinton at Left back.
Left back in the changing room
giimps
Mar 2, 2020 at 12:45 PM
Comment #45I was there on Saturday and the view from the east stand /leases corner I saw only a few empty seats, yet the crowd (including me) were very quiet, Burnley were not much better (considering they were the away fans) but there was very little to get vocal about.
Burnley played the way we usually do and stifled and time wasted all game so sapped the atmosphere in the ground……we were the better team and deserved the win IMHO, we weren’t great by any stretch of the imagination but with a better ref ( who was awful again) and a bit more luck in front of goal we would have won.
My only hope is that we carry on with this attacking format vs other teams around us so we get a few goals, there’s nothing more depressing than going to the game and watching the usual drivel that’s served up, but I’ve paid in advance for my ticket ( I’m not renewing next season along with a hell of a lot of the people around where I sit) , I think we are at the ” why bother getting a season ticket when I can just pick and choose which games I go to next season ” mental attitude.
I’ll never stop supporting the club but enough is enough for me at least.
Anglo Saxon
Mar 2, 2020 at 12:49 PM
Comment #46Anyone got any idea how many Burnley fans attended the game on Sat.
geordietom
Mar 2, 2020 at 12:57 PM
Comment #47stay strong people the takeover is still on going …
JohnJ
Mar 2, 2020 at 1:51 PM
Comment #48Anglo @ 17
I just read the post about “45000” gate earlier this morn so it was still there then!