---
title: "Newcastle United: Craig Hope relays news of ‘awful’ decision facing Steve Bruce"
canonical: "https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/newcastle-united-craig-hope-relays-news-of-awful-decision-facing-steve-bruce/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "George McGibbon"
section: "Newcastle United"
published: "2021-01-12T15:05:54Z"
modified: "2021-01-12T15:05:54Z"
---

# Newcastle United: Craig Hope relays news of ‘awful’ decision facing Steve Bruce

**In a recent post on [Twitter](https://twitter.com/CraigHope_DM/status/1348629788748115968), Craig Hope relayed news of the ‘awful’ decision facing Steve Bruce ahead of Newcastle United’s next Premier League fixture.**

According to [Hope](https://twitter.com/CraigHope_DM/status/1348629788748115968), who tweeted a link to his article for the [Daily Mail](https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-9134383/Steve-Bruce-DROP-form-Karl-Darlow-Newcastles-crucial-trip-Sheffield-United.html), Bruce could drop Karl Darlow for the club’s upcoming fixture against Sheffield United, as Martin Dubravka is once again available for selection after spending a spell on the sidelines.

\[freshpress-quiz id=”336603″\]

So far this season, Darlow has highly impressed over his 16 Premier League appearances, [conceding 26 goals](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/karl-darlow/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/99397/wettbewerb/GB1/saison/2020) and [keeping three clean sheets](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/karl-darlow/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/99397/wettbewerb/GB1/saison/2020), while averaging a [WhoScored match rating of 7.01](https://www.whoscored.com/Players/70483/Show/Karl-Darlow) – ranking him as the club’s [best performer in the top flight](https://www.whoscored.com/Teams/23/Show/England-Newcastle-United).

However, after Dubravka made his return from injury in the club’s 2-0 FA Cup defeat against Arsenal on Saturday, Bruce [stated in his press conference on Monday](https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-9134383/Steve-Bruce-DROP-form-Karl-Darlow-Newcastles-crucial-trip-Sheffield-United.html): “I’m delighted with the goalkeeping situation we’ve got, we have two quality goalkeepers. Martin reminded us at Arsenal of what a good goalkeeper he is. Karl has been very good all season. So I’ve got one of those awful \[decisions\] to make – let’s hope I pick the right one.”

It seems Bruce will leave the decision as late as possible, considering he was not leaning one way or the other at his Monday press conference.

\[freshpress-poll id=”341723″\]

### Transfer Tavern Take

Despite the fact that Dubravka [won the club’s Player of the Year award](https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-9134383/Steve-Bruce-DROP-form-Karl-Darlow-Newcastles-crucial-trip-Sheffield-United.html) last season, Darlow should feel incredibly hard done by if he does lose his spot as Newcastle’s number one following the return of the Slovakian.

Not only has the 30-year-old proved the Magpies’ best player so far this season, but there has also been talk of Gareth Southgate [calling the ‘keeper up for an England cap](https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-9134383/Steve-Bruce-DROP-form-Karl-Darlow-Newcastles-crucial-trip-Sheffield-United.html).

As such, should Bruce decide to go with Dubravka for the clash against Sheffield United, it would not be surprising to see Darlow seek a move elsewhere to try and break into international football.

**In other Newcastle news, find out who has been named as a potential suitor for a transfer to NUFC [here](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/newcastle-united-transfer-rumours/newcastle-united-exclusive-diego-costa-named-as-potential-suitor-for-nufc-24/)!**