A FOOTBALL manager with Tyne Valley connections has vowed to turn around Newcastle United's fortunes. 

The pressure is mounting for Corbridge-born Steve Bruce, after Monday night's 2-0 defeat at Arsenal left the Magpies in 15th place, just seven points ahead of third-bottom Fulham, who have a game in hand. 

But the former Sunderland, Aston Villa and Birmingham City manager, who excelled as captain of Manchester United during his playing days, insisted all was not lost.

Asked if he was the man to take Newcastle forward, the man who secured his "dream job" when appointed in 2019, said: "I have been in football a long, long time and I've managed to do it before. If you are in the bottom half you are going to have a difficult spell and it is how you cope with it, I'm never going to shy away from it so yes, 100 per cent.

"I think half the league is in a relegation battle. There are only a few points between a few teams, we have been stuck on 19 for a while now.

"But we always knew this was the most difficult part of the season for us in terms of fixtures and the problems we have got. We have got to keep plugging away at it and I'm sure it'll turn."