STEVE BRUCE does not expect to have any of Newcastle United’s injured attacking players available before the international break.

Callum Wilson, Miguel Almiron and Allan Saint-Maximin all missed last weekend’s goalless draw at West Brom, and the trio will not be involved in tomorrow’s home game with Aston Villa.

It was initially hoped Wilson might have sufficiently recovered from his hamstring problem to play some part in the game at Brighton a week on Saturday, but Bruce has conceded he does not expect the striker to be fit enough to feature against the Seagulls, who are level on points with Newcastle in the table.

Instead, the Newcastle boss is hoping that all three forwards will be back in the squad when Tottenham visit St James’ Park for the first game after the international break at the start of next month.

Bruce said: “Callum is four weeks in, so we’re seeing him on the grass and he’s progressing. That goes for Allan and Almiron as well.

“We’ve just got to let nature take its course. They’re working as hard as they possibly can. We hope the international break will maybe do us a turn, and we hope that by the end of the international break, they’ll be there or thereabouts.”