Cisse Offers Magpies Backing

Newcastle United will be playing Premier League football next season, according to their former striker Papiss Cisse. The Magpies have endured a tough start to the season and pressure has already been piled on manager Steve Bruce, after he was brought in to replace the much-loved Rafael Benitez.

Newcastle failed to agree fresh terms with Benitez and Bruce, who was at Championship side Sheffield Wednesday at the time, was given the unenviable task of trying to fill the void left by the Spanish tactician at St James’ Park.

Eight games into the Premier League season and the Magpies currently find themselves just one point above the relegation zone with eight points to their name.

Goals have been hard to come by this term, with Newcastle finding the back of the net only five times in those eight outings.

The Toon could do with someone of Cisse’s ilk, as the Senegalese striker, who is now plying his trade in Turkey with Alanyaspor, was a real attacking threat during his four-year spell in the north east.

Cisse, who has defended Newcastle’s recent 5-0 hammering at the hands of Leicester City, says he does not know what is going on in the dressing room but feels confident that his former club are good enough to avoid the drop back down to the Championship.

The 34-year-old told The Athletic: “I don’t know what is happening there, but they will stay up. “This kind of moment (5-0 defeat to Leicester), when things just go wrong, can happen, but they are strong and they will be ok. They will come back.”

Newcastle have had the international break to work on things on the training ground as they look to build on their 1-0 victory over Manchester United in their last outing. It won’t be easy for Bruce’s side to make it back-to-back wins in the Premier League, though, as they make the trip to west London on Saturday to take on Frank Lampard’s Chelsea.