Three aspects of Newcastle United's current game plan for Leeds United to look out for at St James' Park

Jon runs All Stats Aren't We, a Leeds United media channel that focuses on the tactical and statistical aspects of the game.

Newcastle are the first team to have a second league fixture against Leeds United this season and, if the previous match was anything to go by, Whites fans will be relishing the opportunity.

Magpies boss Steve Bruce has been under quite some pressure since his team’s early form took a nosedive.

With four losses in their last five – the solitary draw coming against Liverpool – Newcastle are only seven points clear of Fulham in 18th who have been looking much improved in recent months.

For Leeds, then, this is a gilt-edged opportunity to pick up one of the single-figure number of wins that will guarantee them another season in the Premier League.

Here are three aspects of Steve Bruce’s system to look out for tomorrow:

Under pressure

With Bruce now under increasing pressure for his job, expect to see more of the experimentation that you expect to see from precarious managers.

We’ve already seen Bruce come out in interviews and distance himself from the tactics of the first half of the season, vowing to do things ‘my way’.

This has led to a ‘going back to basics’ approach from the Newcastle manager which has seen Andy Carroll brought in for an Arsenal game that ended in a 3-0 defeat.

Will this prompt Bruce into even more experimentation come tomorrow evening?

Structural issues

Against Arsenal, Bruce adopted a 4-4-2 formation with Callum Wilson and Andy Carroll up front and Joelinton, another striker, shifted out into a wide area.

Although the results were poor against Arsenal, the 4-4-2 will mean that Marcelo Bielsa will put out a team in the 3-3-1-3 structure that he is renowned for this season, Leeds have looked poor in the 3-3-1-3 – who remembers Burnley at home and Crawley away? Could it be that Bruce could gain some edge through his 4-4-2?

All about space

Although Leeds have been poor in the 3-3-1-3 this season, this hasn’t simply resulted from structural issues.

When teams like Crystal Palace and Burnley have played in a 4-4-2, they have worked hard to smother Leeds’ build-up in wide areas.

It is unlikely that Steve Bruce’s Newcastle will be quite so proactive out of possession and so, with space to plunder, Leeds might enjoy the 3-3-1-3 structure tomorrow.

https://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/sport/football/leeds-united/jamie-redknapp-mulls-over-paceless-newcastle-uniteds-prospects-against-bang-out-form-leeds-united-3111068

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Thank you Laura Collins