By Anthony Marshall - Newcastle United Club Reporter

Lee Probert will take charge of Newcastle United's home Premier League fixture against Aston Villa on Sunday (4pm kick-off).

The Wiltshire-based whistler has only overseen one game this season to date - Swansea's 5-0 win at Queens Park Rangers on the opening day of the campaign, when he issued four yellow cards.

But Probert was the man in the middle of three Magpies' matches last term - the 2-2 draw with Tottenham in October, our 3-1 defeat at Liverpool late in December and the FA Cup exit at Brighton in January.

The 40-year-old began refereeing in 1986 in the local Bristol leagues, before working his way up the ladder and into the Football League in 2003.

Probert officially became a top-flight referee in the summer of 2007, but had already overseen his first Premier League fixture earlier that year as part of a trial.

On Sunday at the Sports Direct Arena, Probert will be assisted by Simon Beck and Simon Bennett, with Kevin Friend the game's fourth official.

Tickets for the fixture are still on sale and can be purchased by clicking here