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Newcastle v West Brom: Four Changes
Written by Newcastle Utd
Steve McClaren has made four changes to his Newcastle United starting line-up for Saturday's game against West Brom
By Anthony Marshall - Newcastle United Managing Editor
At St. James' Park
Steve McClaren has made four changes to his Newcastle United starting line-up for Saturday's Barclays Premier League home fixture against West Bromwich Albion (3pm kick-off).
Defender Steven Taylor returns to the Magpies' side for his first appearance since the end of August, and he is joined by Cheick Tiote, Rolando Aarons and Aleksandar Mitrovic.
The quartet replace Chancel Mbemba and Paul Dummett, who are both injured, and Ayoze Perez and Henri Saivet, who drop down to the substitutes' bench, from their midweek defeat at Everton.
United are expected to start in a 4-2-3-1 formation, with Republic of Ireland international goalkeeper Rob Elliot behind a back four of Daryl Janmaat, Taylor, captain Fabricio Coloccini and Aarons.
Tiote and Jonjo Shelvey will anchor the hosts' midfield at St. James' Park, with a trio of Moussa Sissoko, nine-goal leading scorer Georginio Wijnaldum and Andros Townsend - making his home debut - in front of them.
And they will be tasked with supplying the ammunition for Serbian international striker Aleksandar Mitrovic, who has four goals to date this season.
On the substitutes' bench there are places for teenage trio Liam Gibson, 18, Callum Williams, 19, and Dan Barlaser, 19, who are all regulars for the Club's under-21 side.
Midfielder Barlaser was an unused replacement against Sheffield Wednesday in the Capital One Cup earlier this season, but it is a first taste of the first team squad for left-back Gibson and defender Williams.
And they are joined on the bench by Seydou Doumbia, Perez, Saivet and goalkeeper Karl Darlow.
Newcastle United (4-2-3-1): Rob Elliot; Daryl Janmaat, Steven Taylor, Fabricio Coloccini (c), Rolando Aarons; Cheick Tiote, Jonjo Shelvey; Moussa Sissoko, Georginio Wijnaldum, Andros Townsend; Aleksandar Mitrovic
Substitutes: Karl Darlow, Liam Gibson, Callum Williams, Dan Barlaser, Henri Saivet, Ayoze Perez, Seydou Doumbia
West Bromwich Albion (4-2-3-1): Ben Foster; Craig Dawson, Gareth McAuley, Jonas Olsson, James Chester; Claudio Yacob, Sandro; Craig Gardner, Darren Fletcher (c), James McClean; Victor Anichebe
Substitutes: Boaz Myhill, Sebastien Pocognoli, Alex Pritchard, Stephane Sessegnon, Saido Berahino, Rickie Lambert, Salomon Rondon
Referee: Lee Mason (Lancashire)