Norwich v Newcastle: Five Changes

By Anthony Marshall - Newcastle United Managing Editor

At Carrow Road

Rafa Benitez has made five changes to his Newcastle United starting line-up for Saturday's crucial Barclays Premier League fixture at Norwich City (3pm kick-off).

The Magpies drew 1-1 against local rivals Sunderland last time out, but manager Benitez has rung the changes from that game for the clash at Carrow Road.

In come striker Papiss Cisse, midfielders Cheick Tiote and Vurnon Anita, defender Steven Taylor and goalkeeper Karl Darlow.

They replace Aleksandar Mitrovic, Ayoze Perez and Jamaal Lascelles, who all drop down to the substitutes' bench, Jack Colback, who serves the first game of a two-match ban, and Rob Elliot, whose season was ended earlier this week by an anterior cruciate ligament knee injury.

United are expected to line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, with Darlow starting behind a back four of Daryl Janmaat, Chancel Mbemba, Taylor and Anita.

Tiote and stand-in skipper Jonjo Shelvey will anchor the visitors' midfield, with a trio of Andros Townsend, nine-goal leading scorer Georginio Wijnaldum and Moussa Sissoko ahead of them.

And they will be tasked with providing the ammunition for Senegalese striker Papiss Cisse, who has not started a game since the middle of December against Aston Villa.

Norwich City (4-4-1-1): John Ruddy; Andre Wisdom, Ryan Bennett, Timm Klose, Martin Olsson; Matt Jarvis, Jonny Howson, Gary O'Neil (c), Robbie Brady; Steven Naismith; Dieumerci Mbokani

Substitutes: Declan Rudd, Sebastien Bassong, Youssouf Mulumbu, Wes Hoolahan, Nathan Redmond, Patrick Bamford, Cameron Jerome

Newcastle United (4-2-3-1): Karl Darlow; Daryl Janmaat, Chancel Mbemba, Steven Taylor, Vurnon Anita; Cheick Tiote, Jonjo Shelvey (c); Andros Townsend, Georginio Wijnaldum, Moussa Sissoko; Papiss Cisse

Substitutes: Freddie Woodman, Jamie Sterry, Jamaal Lascelles, Siem de Jong, Ayoze Perez, Emmanuel Riviere, Aleksandar Mitrovic

Referee: Mike Dean (The Wirral)