BBC pundit picks NUFC player in team of the week & names only thing that can save Steve Bruce

Garth Crooks has picked our skipper Jamal Lascelles in his Premier League team of the week.

The BBC pundit chose the defender in his team alongside Man City’s John Stones, Liverpool’s Diogo Jota, Brighton’s Lewis Dunk and Leicester’s hat-trick hero Kelechi Iheanacho.

Lascelles stepped up to the plate for the second consecutive home game to get in the scoresheet and rescue a dramatic late point in last Friday’s 1-1 draw with Aston Villa.

With our front three out injured, it is no surprise that we are having to rely on goals from other areas of the pitch – a very similar scenario to large spells of last season, where we played much of it without a recognised striker.

As you can see in his comments below, Crooks also believes Wilson, Almiron and Saint-Maximin are Steve Bruce’s only hope – feeling the trio must be fit and firing ASAP if we’re to avoid a third relegation of the Ashley era.

Here’s what he’s had to say in his latest piece for the BBC:

This was a game where Newcastle had most of the play but couldn’t finish. In the end it took the captain, Jamaal Lascelles, to produce a brilliant header to provide Newcastle and Steve Bruce with a reprieve.

The Magpies are in a relegation battle and the manager is fighting to retain his job. If they want to survive then they have to get Allan Saint-Maximin, Callum Wilson and Miguel Almiron all fit and back on the pitch pronto.

Did you know? All eight of Lascelles’ Premier League goals have been headers, including his late equaliser against Aston Villa on Friday – he is the top scorer in the competition’s history to net 100% of his goals with his head.

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