Following spells on the sidelines owing to injury, both Saint-Maximin and Wilson are back in the first team fold under Bruce.

 

Saint-Maximin shone with a goal and an assist in only his second game back as Newcastle earned a 2-1 Premier League win against Burnley on Sunday, while Wilson also returned to the pitch against the Clarets; however both players are yet to earn a place in the starting eleven. 

 

 

Bruce has insisted that his team are a far better side with both forwards playing and acknowledged the fans also want to see them start.

 

“The big thing is the two up top [in Wilson and Saint-Maximin]”, Bruce told a press conference.

 

 

“The clamour is out there to start them.

 

“You only have to look at the statistics to see when they are in the team things are better.

 

 

“I could ask, on every team at the top end of the pitch, if you take your top players out of it you will struggle.

 

“Even with Miguel Almiron, we have only had the situation once when we could play all three of them.

 

“We are a far better side with them in the team.”

 

Bruce explained as both Saint-Maximin and Wilson had muscle injuries, he still needs to be careful about over extending them and thus he will need to mull over whether to start them against the Hammers.

 

“They’ve both had muscle injuries and they’re the most difficult to manage because they both rely on explosive pace and power.

 

“There’s a decision to be made [on whether to start them]”.

 

Newcastle currently have a six-point cushion over the relegation zone and will be keen on keeping that gap intact with a positive result against West Ham come Sunday.