QPR v Newcastle: Four Changes

By Anthony Marshall - Newcastle United Managing Editor

At Loftus Road

Rafa Benitez has made four changes to his Newcastle United starting line-up for Tuesday's trip to Queens Park Rangers in the Sky Bet Championship (7.45pm kick-off).

The Magpies won 2-0 away at Derby County on Saturday, but a run of five successive victories and four clean sheets in a row has not deterred Benitez from shuffling his pack at Loftus Road.

Returning to the side are defender Ciaran Clark, midfielder Isaac Hayden and forwards Ayoze Perez and Aleksandar Mitrovic.

They replace Chancel Mbemba, who is rested, and Jack Colback, Mohamed Diame and Dwight Gayle, who all drop down to the substitutes' bench.

United are expected to line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, with Belgian goalkeeper Matz Sels behind a back four of Vurnon Anita, captain Jamaal Lascelles, Clark and Paul Dummett.

Hayden will join Jonjo Shelvey in the middle of the park, with a trio of Matt Ritchie, Perez and Yoan Gouffran ahead of them.

And they will be tasked with supplying the ammunition for Serbian striker Aleksandar Mitrovic, who has only featured in the EFL Cup so far this term.

Joining Colback, Diame and Gayle on the substitutes' bench are new signing Christian Atsu, Grant Hanley, DeAndre Yedlin and Karl Darlow.

Queens Park Rangers (4-4-1-1): Alex Smithies; Nedum Onuoha (c), Grant Hall, Steven Caulker, Jake Bidwell; James Perch, Karl Henry, Jordan Cousins, Yeni Ngbakoto; Tjaronn Chery; Conor Washington

Substitutes: Matt Ingram, Joel Lynch, Ariel Borysiuk, Pawel Wszolek, Abdenasser El Khayati, Olamide Shodipo, Idrissa Sylla

Newcastle United (4-2-3-1): Matz Sels; Vurnon Anita, Jamaal Lascelles (c), Ciaran Clark, Paul Dummett; Isaac Hayden, Jonjo Shelvey; Matt Ritchie, Ayoze Perez, Yoan Gouffran; Aleksandar Mitrovic

Substitutes: Karl Darlow, DeAndre Yedlin, Grant Hanley, Jack Colback, Mohamed Diame, Christian Atsu, Dwight Gayle

Referee: Andy Davies (Hampshire)