Newcastle only have themselves to blame for not getting an extended winter break.

The Magpies will play in the FA Cup fourth-round replay with Oxford United, while all other Premier League teams not involved in the competition have the weekend off.

Asked if he had to change his plans for the scheduled break, Bruce said: "All of us have given the team a little bit of time off - that's what the whole idea of it was.

"However, it's not as long as we would like to give the players, but they're still going to have four or five days off and have a long weekend, which is better than nothing.

"But that's what we get for not winning the first one."