Steve Bruce set to recall Dwight Gayle amid Joelinton goalscoring woe
Newcastle boss Steve Bruce is set to reinstate frontman Dwight Gayle following record signing Joelinton’s lack of goals this campaign, according to reports.
Bruce’s side has seriously struggled to find the net this season, amassing the same number of goals as league strugglers Norwich and Watford, the joint second-lowest tally in the Premier League.
And with the club’s £40million record signing Joelinton finding the net only once this season, the Toon boss is desperate to find a solution to his attacking woes.
Newcastle are set to face Crystal Palace on Saturday, and the Daily Star claims Bruce is considering calling upon Gayle as an answer to his side’s lack of firepower.
Injuries have blighted the former Eagles striker this term, with the forward managing to feature only twice in Bruce’s starting eleven, whilst appearing seven times from off the bench.
And he hasn’t featured since coming off with a hamstring injury against Wolves in January.
Gayle will have to prove that he is up to full fitness if he is to come back into Bruce’s starting team, but the United boss was impressed with the performance of the 29-year-old which saw him go off injured before the half-hour mark when he set up Miguel Almiron in their 1-1 draw.
Fellow striker Andy Carroll remains sidelined with a hip injury with no return date set by the Toon boss, but both Gayle and Japanese international Yoshinori Muto have returned to training and are expected to be available for selection on Saturday.
Both players are yet to register their maiden goal this season, the last goal scored by a Toon forward in the top flight coming January 11 against Wolves in the 1-1 draw that saw Gayle sustain his injury.
It is unclear yet as to whether Bruce will favour playing Joelinton and Gayle as an attacking pair or the latter as a lone-striker, however with the Brazilian showing no sign of finding the net any time soon, it wouldn’t come as a surprise to see Gayle play up-front by himself.
