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Man City v Newcastle: Hatem And Sammy Start
Written by Newcastle Utd
Hatem Ben Arfa and Sammy Ameobi both start as Newcastle United travel to Manchester City in Premier League action
By Anthony Marshall - Newcastle United Club Reporter
Hatem Ben Arfa and Sammy Ameobi have both been handed starts as Newcastle United travel to Manchester City in the Premier League this afternoon (3pm kick-off).
For French international forward Ben Arfa, it is his first league start since suffering a double leg break in the same fixture 13 months ago, while England Under 21 star Ameobi is making his full Newcastle debut.
Ben Arfa is likely to be given a free role just behind top scorer Demba Ba, while Ameobi will play out wide and could switch flanks with Jonas Gutierrez throughout.
The duo come in for Leon Best and Sylvain Marveaux, who miss out through injury, and tose are the only two changes from the Magpies side which beat Everton last time out.
Yohan Cabaye has recovered from a groin complaint which forced him off against the Toffees and once again partners Danny Guthrie in the middle of the park, while the defensive unit once again remains the same.
On the substitutes' bench, Shola Ameobi returns to the fray after a recent hamstring injury, and there is also a place for former Manchester United man Alan Smith against the blue half of the city.
The hosts have made five changes from their last outing, against Queens Park Rangers, and it sees the likes of Gael Clichy, Nigel de Jong and Samir Nasri all returning to the starting line-up.
Both sides are unbeaten so far in league action - the only Premier League teams to still be able to boast that - and if Newcastle avoid defeat then Alan Pardew's men will set a new club record for the longest unbeaten run at the start of a top flight campaign.
Manchester City (4-2-3-1): Joe Hart; Micah Richards, Vincent Kompany (c), Joleon Lescott, Gael Clichy; Nigel de Jong, Yaya Toure; James Milner, Sergio Aguero, Samir Nasri; Mario Balotelli
Substitutes: Costel Pantilimon, Aleksandar Kolarov, Kolo Toure, Gareth Barry, David Silva, Adam Johnson, Edin Dzeko
Newcastle United (4-4-1-1): Tim Krul; Danny Simpson, Steven Taylor, Fabricio Coloccini, Ryan Taylor; Jonas Gutierrez, Yohan Cabaye, Danny Guthrie, Sammy Ameobi; Hatem Ben Arfa; Demba Ba
Substitutes: Rob Elliot, Davide Santon, James Perch, Dan Gosling, Alan Smith, Peter Lovenkrands, Shola Ameobi