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Steve Bruce: Newcastle boss says more coronavirus cases in football are 'inevitable'

  /  autty

Newcastle head coach Steve Bruce has warned football needs to prepare itself for more coronavirus cases after David Moyes and Neil Warnock tested positive.

Moyes and West Ham players Issa Diop and Josh Cullen were sent home from the London Stadium before the Carabao Cup win over Hull, while Middlesbrough manager Warnock missed last weekend's draw with Bournemouth after entering self-isolation.

Bruce, who confirmed there had been no positive tests at Newcastle, said: "We've just been tested again, and we were tested last week on Monday, so we hope that everyone is given a clean bill of health again.

"Obviously with the cases rising so alarmingly in the country, even though we're very, very secure in our own bubble and when we're here at the training ground, I think we all sense a security that everyone around us is OK.

"But as soon as we walk out the door this virus is out there. Footballers, managers - we've seen Moysey - we hope that they're all OK. They're not going to be immune to it just because they're footballers, unfortunately.

"We have to get ready for that challenge as well because I think it's pretty inevitable it's going to happen.

"Yes, we're very secure in our environment here, but as soon as we walk out of the door and we put petrol in the car or we do a bit of shopping or whatever we do, then we're just as vulnerable as everybody else."

Bruce confirmed full-back Jamal Lewis and frontman Allan Saint-Maximin are doubts for Sunday's trip to Tottenham, live on Sky Sports, while defender Ciaran Clark is likely to miss out.

He said: "They're the biggest doubts. Lewis has got an awful eye injury. He's got a bad cut on it and we understand now the way things are with blood, so we're just going to see how he is.

"Allan has got a slightly twisted ankle, so we'll see how he is too. It's a bit early yet for me to make the call before Sunday, but they're the main two, along with Ciaran Clark, unfortunately. He hurt his thigh the other night, so I don't think he'll make it. But the other two, we're hopeful."