View: Dwight Gayle could haunt West Brom after Steve Bruce confirms return v Baggies
Steve Bruce has confirmed that Newcastle forward Dwight Gayle will play some part against West Brom on Saturday afternoon.
It was only a matter of days ago that the Chronicle claimed that the 30-year-old remains on the Baggies radar ahead of the January window.
With his contract at St James’ Park expiring at the end of the season, the Albion could make a move in the upcoming market – not before he gets one last chance to come back and haunt them.
Speaking to the Chronicle, Bruce confirmed that Gayle is over his recent injury problems and is ready to feature against his former side.
“We can say Dwight Gayle is available,” he said. “He will take part. He is over his injury.”
The experienced forward spent the 2018/19 Championship campaign on loan at the Hawthorns, showing the Baggies just what he is capable of.
Gayle scored 24 goals in his 40 appearances, although it wasn’t enough as the Albion failed in the play-offs to reach the Premier League at that time.
West Brom know exactly what Gayle is about.
There is a strong chance he will feature from the beginning too, with the Magpies seriously struggling for numbers after their COVID-19 outbreak.
Gayle is a poacher, and he still has buckets of pace available to him that could cause the Albion defence plenty of problems.
After lockdown last season, the 30-year-old scored three goals in seven Premier League outings as he fired Newcastle to Premier League survival.
This is the perfect opportunity for Gayle to prove himself to his side before his current deal expires, and the Baggies must make sure he doesn’t come back to haunt them.
In other West Brom news, Slaven Bilic fumes over incident ahead of Newcastle clash
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