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Steve Bruce admits he can only look on enviously at Leicester City's strength in-depth.

While United were forced to push Florian Lejeune to his limit and ask him to play a third game in the space of a week so soon after a serious knee injury, Leicester boss Brendan Rodgers was able to make NINE changes against West Ham.

Rodgers will shuffle his pack once again for the visit to Tyneside but Bruce will have little choice but to ask for more from his fatigued looking squad.

Bruce said: "To make as many changes as they did (on Saturday) is pretty drastic, but obviously with the two games they’ve played, he must have been looking at it and thinking of ours as well.

"We’re all wanting four or five changes. It’s ludicrous.

"You’re asking questions of the wellbeing of someone like Flo Lejeune for example.

"You’re asking him to play, and it’s not right, so we have to do something about it in this country.

"I know it’s the festive period and all the rest of it, but it’s ridiculous when you see some of the states that they’re in, especially the ones who played on Boxing Day and Saturday.

"It certainly isn’t right, we’ve got to do something about it."

The clash with Leicester brings back bad memories of the 5-0 thrashing at the King Power Stadium in the reverse fixture.

That day Bruce told his players they'd let everybody down.

He reflected: "When you deliver some home truths, the one thing you need is a response.

"If they down tools, then you’ve had it, but the response from them has been very good.

"The defeat (to Everton) was the first time we’d been beaten at home since Arsenal in August.

"Their resilience and their effort and endeavour, I can’t fault.

"Yes, we’d love a bit more quality at certain times, but their effort and endeavour and spirit are there for everybody to see."