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Metalist v Newcastle: Debut For Haidara
Written by Newcastle Utd
Massadio Haidara will make his Newcastle United debut away at Metalist Kharkiv in the Europa League
By Anthony Marshall - Newcastle United Managing Editor
At the Metalist Stadium
January signing Massadio Haïdara will make his Newcastle United debut away at Metalist Kharkiv in the second leg of their Europa League Round of 32 tie on Thursday night (6pm kick-off GMT).
The defender, who arrived from Nancy last month, has played two second-string games for the Magpies, and will make his first team bow at left-back at the Metalist Stadium.
Haïdara, who is squad number 19 for United in domestic action, will wear the number 35 shirt in the Europa League due to a UEFA ruling.
He is one of five changes to the starting line-up from the goalless first leg seven days ago, as Newcastle look to progress to the next stage of the competition.
As well as Haïdara, in come Danny Simpson, Vurnon Anita, Sylvain Marveaux and Shola Ameobi, with Davide Santon, Steven Taylor, Cheick Tiote, Gabriel Obertan and Jonas Gutierrez making way.
The Magpies are expected to start in a 4-2-3-1 formation with goalkeeper Tim Krul protected by a back four of Simpson, Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa, captain Fabricio Coloccini and Haïdara.
Anita and Yohan Cabaye will anchor the visitors' midfield, with the creative trio of Papiss Cisse, Moussa Sissoko and Marveaux supplying lone front man Ameobi.
There is a place on the substitutes' bench for midfielder Dan Gosling, who has been sidelined since October with an ankle injury, but Cheick Tiote, who travelled to Ukraine, misses out completely through illness.
Metalist Kharkiv (4-2-3-1): Olexandr Goryainov; Cristian Villagra, Papa Gueye, Marco Torsiglieri, Fininho; Juan Manuel Torres, Edmar; Marlos, Cleiton Xavier, Jose Emesto Sosa (c); Jonathan Cristaldo
Substitutes: Vladimir Disljenkovic, Oleg Shelayev, Andriy Berezovchuk, Oleg Krasnopyorov, Sebastian Blanco, Willian, Jaja
Newcastle United (4-2-3-1): Tim Krul; Danny Simpson, Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa, Fabricio Coloccini (c), Massadio Haïdara; Vurnon Anita, Yohan Cabaye; Papiss Cisse, Moussa Sissoko, Sylvain Marveaux; Shola Ameobi
Substitutes: Rob Elliot, James Perch, Steven Taylor, Dan Gosling, Gael Bigirimana, Jonas Gutierrez,Gabriel Obertan