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Manchester City logo
Premier League | Gameweek 34
Jul 8, 2020 at 6pm UK
Etihad Stadium
Newcastle logo

Man City
5 - 0
Newcastle

Jesus (10'), Mahrez (21'), Fernandez (58' og.), Silva (65'), Sterling (90+1')
FT(HT: 2-0)

Steve Bruce hails "outstanding" Jonjo Shelvey ahead of Manchester City clash

Steve Bruce hails
© Reuters
The midfielder's equaliser earned a 2-2 draw with West Ham on Sunday.

Steve Bruce has hailed the "outstanding" Jonjo Shelvey as he attempts to piece together a team to take on Manchester City on Wednesday evening.

Shelvey's second-half equaliser against West Ham on Sunday not only capped another impressive individual display, but secured a 2-2 draw and the point which mathematically assured the Magpies of their place in next season's Premier League.

Asked about the 28-year-old midfielder, head coach Bruce said: "If there's anybody who has taken on board what we require and what we want, then it's Jonjo.

"It becomes easy, the game of football, like a game of golf, to him. He's blessed with a natural ability.

"He can see a pass that other people can't, he can deliver a pass he can score a goal. Physically and mentally, he's bought into everything we've tried to put over to him and fair play to him.

"At the minute, he's reaping the benefits of how good he looks, and of course he's playing at the top of his game, which is always good to see because he has been outstanding in the last few games."

Shelvey may be surrounded by new faces at the Etihad Stadium with Isaac Hayden having joined Sean Longstaff on the sidelines due to a hamstring injury and frontmen Miguel Almiron, Allan Saint-Maximin and Andy Carroll all doubts.

Bruce said: "The demand on the players has been totally difficult, if I am being brutally honest, with the preparation time that we were given.

"But everybody has been in the same boat and I think we all understand that we're going to pick up a lot of injuries along the way just because of the intensity the Premier League demands."

The teams met at St James' Park in the FA Cup quarter-finals on June 28 when Kevin De Bruyne's penalty and a second goal from Raheem Sterling clinched a comfortable win for the visitors on an afternoon when the hosts were too passive for Bruce's liking.

Asked if his side might take a more progressive approach this time around, he said: "We'd all love to say, 'Come on, we're going to take you on', but you have to understand that they have better players than us, so we have to come up with something.

"We didn't do enough against them in the cup. We have to be a bit more aggressive with our approach and let's hope we can do it."

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Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta pictured on June 28, 2020
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Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Arsenal28204470244664
2Liverpool28197265263964
3Manchester CityMan City28196363283563
4Aston Villa29175760421856
5Tottenham HotspurSpurs28165759421753
6Manchester UnitedMan Utd28152113939047
7West Ham UnitedWest Ham2912894650-444
8Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton2811985044642
9Wolverhampton WanderersWolves28125114244-241
10Newcastle UnitedNewcastle281241259481140
11Chelsea27116104745239
12Fulham29115134344-138
13Bournemouth2898114152-1135
14Crystal Palace2878133348-1529
15Brentford2975174154-1326
16Everton2887132939-1025
17Luton TownLuton2957174260-1822
18Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest2967163551-1621
19Burnley2945202963-3417
20Sheffield UnitedSheff Utd2835202474-5014


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