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Newcastle v Wolves: Trio Return To Action
Written by Newcastle Utd
Yohan Cabaye, Cheick Tiote and Ryan Taylor are all back in the starting line-up as Newcastle entertain Wolves today
By Anthony Marshall - Newcastle United Club Reporter
United stars Yohan Cabaye, Cheick Tiote and Ryan Taylor all return to the starting line-up this afternoon as the Magpies entertain Wolves at the Sports Direct Arena (3pm kick-off).
Cabaye has completed a three-game ban, while Tiote is back from Africa Cup of Nations duty and Taylor has recovered from a leg injury sustained in Newcastle's last home game against Aston Villa earlier this month.
So manager Alan Pardew makes three changes from the side which slipped to a 5-0 defeat at Tottenham a fortnight ago, and the midfield trio replace James Perch, Danny Guthrie and Gabriel Obertan, who all take up places on the substitutes' bench.
Tiote and Cabaye will provide steel in the middle of the park, with Taylor occupying a role on the right flank and Jonas Gutierrez on the left.
Newcastle's defence and goalkeeper is unchanged for the ninth consecutive Premier League game, with Tim Krul behind a back four of Danny Simpson, Mike Williamson, captain Fabricio Coloccini and Davide Santon.
Sixteen-goal leading scorer Demba Ba is once again partnered by fellow Senegalese striker Papiss Cisse up top, and the January signing will be hoping to build on his stunning winner against Villa.
New Wolves manager Terry Connor - in charge until the end of the season - has made a raft of changes to their line-up. Captain Roger Johnson finds himself on the bench, and there is also no place for fellow centre-back and former Magpie Sebastien Bassong.
Karl Henry returns in the centre of midfield and it looks as though the visitors will line up in a 4-5-1 formation, with Kevin Doyle their only recognised striker on from the start. There is no sign of leading scorer Steven Fletcher.
Newcastle United (4-4-2): Tim Krul; Danny Simpson, Mike Williamson, Fabricio Coloccini (c), Davide Santon; Ryan Taylor, Cheick Tiote, Yohan Cabaye, Jonas Gutierrez; Papiss Cisse, Demba Ba
Substitutes: Rob Elliot, Shane Ferguson, James Perch, Danny Guthrie, Gabriel Obertan, Hatem Ben Arfa, Shola Ameobi
Wolverhampton Wanderers (4-5-1): Wayne Hennessey; Ronald Zubar, Christophe Berra, Richard Stearman, Stephen Ward (c); Kevin Foley, Karl Henry, David Edwards, Jamie O'Hara, Matt Jarvis; Kevin Doyle
Substitutes: Dorus De Vries, Jody Craddock, Roger Johnson, Nenad Milijas, Stephen Hunt, Michael Kightly, Sylvan Ebanks-Blake