Steve Bruce claims Miguel Almiron and Allan Saint-Maximin are his best players

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Newcastle United boss Steve Bruce has told the Northern Echo that he believes Allan Saint-Maximin and Miguel Almiron are his two best players.

The Magpies boss had come under scrutiny this week after his team secured a second successive goalless draw.

Newcastle are 12th in the Premier League but some supporters have become disgruntled with Bruce’s style of play.

Since being thrashed by Leicester earlier in the season he has adopted a system which deploys three central defenders flanked by two wing-backs.

For a while, it worked with the Magpies securing a win over Chelsea and a point against Manchester City.

The back-to-back goalless games against League One outfit Oxford and basement boys Norwich haven’t exactly adhered Bruce to the club’s supporters.

When forced to answer his critics ahead of tonight’s FA Cup replay with Oxford, Bruce suggested who he thought his best players were.

He told the Northern Echo: “We haven’t been more entertaining, that’s the wrong word but we have played well with this system.

“To play well in this system, our two best players, Miguel Almiron and Allan Saint-Maximin have to play well.

“On Saturday and last week, they didn’t play well enough. Allan has just come from a hamstring injury, so he’ll be better.”

TBR View – Almiron and Saint-Maximin backed as ‘best players’ but even they must do more

Bruce is probably right to suggest that in terms of ability and skill levels, Almiron and Saint-Maximin are indeed his best players.

It’s reasonable to claim that even they must be playing better, however.

In terms of goals and assists, both players have been found wanting this season.

Almiron has just four goals and one assist, having spent most of the season playing on the right-wing.

Frenchman Saint-Maximin has scored once and registered two assists.

For £16.5 million (BBC Sport), Bruce probably expected more after 15 games, but at 22 there is scope for him to improve.

Bruce needs everyone to be pulling in the same direction to get over a mini-slump.

If Almiron and Saint-Maximin can start contributing more; they could start to climb the Premier League table.