Whether it was by design or born out of necessity, Steve Bruce has uncovered the blueprint for how Newcastle United should play.



After justifiably fielding intense criticism for the shambolic 5-0 defeat at Leicester City, Bruce and his players are deservedly receiving praise for responding with an excellent 1-0 victory over Manchester United.



It was a victory that came courtesy of some bold selections by Bruce. He made five changes, only one of which was enforced due to Isaac Hayden’s suspension. He handed a debut to 19-year-old Matty Longstaff, pairing the academy graduate in midfield alongside his brother, Sean, who had started just 12 top-flight games himself. He also brought in Ciaran Clark for his first Premier League appearance since January, at the expense of Paul Dummett.



The 58-year-old’s tactical acumen and coaching ability have been repeatedly questioned in recent weeks but Bruce has bounced back from each of his most crushing defeats...