Steve Bruce's position as Newcastle United manager is 'not under any threat' in the 'short to medium term', according to The Telegraph's Luke Edwards.

The lowdown

Newcastle have endured a poor start to the 2021/22 season, with just a single point on the board from their first four matches. That leaves them 19th in the table, above only promoted Norwich City.

The Magpies shipped four goals in their defeat at Manchester United on Saturday, taking them to a league-high 12 goals conceded.

The Athletic's Chris Waugh wrote in the wake of the defeat at Old Trafford that Bruce's support from above was beginning to wane, stating that his 'few remaining allies appear to be deserting him'.

The latest

In a tweet, Edwards wrote that he'd had 'information from multiple sources' at the club that Bruce retains backing from senior officials, with his position safe for now.

The journalist acknowledged that 'things can change in the time it takes to pick up the phone' but said that the stance seemed to be 'very resolute'.

The verdict

There's an inescapable sense that Newcastle are simply delaying the inevitable. You can't foresee an amicable ending to Steve Bruce's tenure.

Fans might be crying out for more ambition, but from the club's point of view, survival may suffice. We are only four games into the season, in all fairness.

In the next few weeks, with Callum Wilson out injured, Newcastle may incur more pain, but they should still probably have enough to avoid the drop. If that doesn't appear to be the case going into the winter months, though, the stance reported by Edwards could change considerably.

In other news, Newcastle have been urged to consider this former Championship manager as a potential successor for Bruce.