Newcastle United boss Steve Bruce has told the Chronicle that Fabian Schar has been playing in midfield in training.
Schar has generally been used as a centre-back throughout his time at Newcastle, but he has lost his place in that area recently.
Bruce is now testing Schar out as an option in defensive midfield, and he was deployed in a more advanced position against Manchester City.
Newcastle ended up losing the game 5-0, but Bruce felt Schar was one of his side’s better performers.
“I wanted to have Fab Schar,” Bruce said.
“He’s been playing in midfield in the training ground area, and I wanted to have a look at that.
“Matty [Longstaff]’s only been training for the last week. So I thought it was a big call for him as well to get him started.
“I thought those two were arguably our best performers.”
Schar has been used in midfield for Newcastle before, but only on very rare occasions.
Whether he will be able to force his way into the side in a defensive midfield role now remains to be seen.
Isaac Hayden and Jonjo Shelvey have both been in good form for Newcastle of late, so forcing either of the pair out of Bruce’s starting line-up on a permanent basis could prove difficult.
Newcastle are next in action at the weekend, when they take on Watford.
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