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Newcastle v Reading: Clark's Debut
Written by Newcastle Utd
Ciaran Clark will make his United debut in Wednesday's Sky Bet Championship home fixture against Reading
By Anthony Marshall - Newcastle United Managing Editor
At St. James' Park
Ciaran Clark will make his Newcastle United debut in Wednesday's Sky Bet Championship home fixture against Reading (7.45pm kick-off).
The defender joined the Magpies earlier this month from Aston Villa, and will feature for the first time as the Royals arrive at St. James' Park.
Clark's inclusion in the starting line-up is one of four changes from United's weekend defeat at the hands of Huddersfield, with Matt Ritchie and Ayoze Perez also in from the start, and forward Yoan Gouffran handed a chance to impress.
The quartet replace captain Jamaal Lascelles, full-back Daryl Janmaat and winger Rolando Aarons, who all drop down to the substitutes' bench, and injured midfielder Mohamed Diame.
Newcastle are expected to line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, with Belgian goalkeeper Matz Sels behind a back four of Vurnon Anita, Chancel Mbemba, Clark and stand-in skipper Paul Dummett.
Isaac Hayden and Jonjo Shelvey will patrol the middle of the park for the hosts, with a trio of Ritchie, Perez and Gouffran ahead of them.
And they will be tasked with supplying the ammunition for summer signing Dwight Gayle, who got off the mark on Saturday with his first goal for United.
Joining Janmaat, Lascelles and Aarons on the bench, there are places for Adam Armstrong, Jack Colback, Grant Hanley and Karl Darlow.
Newcastle United (4-2-3-1): Matz Sels; Vurnon Anita, Chancel Mbemba, Ciaran Clark, Paul Dummett (c); Isaac Hayden, Jonjo Shelvey; Matt Ritchie, Ayoze Perez, Yoan Gouffran; Dwight Gayle
Substitutes: Karl Darlow, Daryl Janmaat, Grant Hanley, Jamaal Lascelles, Jack Colback, Rolando Aarons, Adam Armstrong
Reading (4-2-3-1): Ali Al-Habsi; Chris Gunter, Paul McShane (c), Joey van der Berg, Jordan Obita; George Evans, Danny Williams; Roy Beerens, John Swift, Garath McCleary; Yann Kermorgant
Substitutes: Anssi Jaakkola, Jake Cooper, Tennai Watson, Stephen Quinn, Deniss Rakels, Joseph Mendes, Yakou Meite
Referee: Andy Madley (West Yorkshire)