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Newcastle v Man Utd: Three Changes
Written by Newcastle Utd
Dan Gosling's inclusion is one of three changes to Newcastle's starting line-up for the visit of Manchester United
By Anthony Marshall - Newcastle United Managing Editor
Alan Pardew has made three changes to his Newcastle United starting line-up as Barclays Premier League champions Manchester United arrive at St. James' Park (3pm kick-off).
Dan Gosling, Davide Santon and Luuk de Jong return for the Magpies as they look to bounce back from successive heavy defeats at the hands of Everton and Southampton.
Making way are Moussa Sissoko, who sustained a hamstring injury at St. Mary's last time out, Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa and Hatem Ben Arfa - who both drop down to the substitutes' bench.
For Gosling, it is a first Barclays Premier League start since December 2011, away at Norwich, where he was sent off for two yellow cards.
Since then, the midfielder has been used exclusively as a substitute and spent time on loan at Blackpool earlier this season.
Newcastle will line-up in a slightly reshuffled 4-4-2 formation, with goalkeeper Rob Elliot behind a back four of Santon, deployed on the right, Mike Williamson, captain Fabricio Coloccini and Massadio Haidara.
Vurnon Anita will take up a role wide on the right, with Yoan Gouffran on the opposite flank. And Gosling will join Cheick Tiote in the middle of the park.
Up front, Dutch international de Jong will play just off Senegalese striker Papiss Cisse.
Joining Ben Arfa and Yanga-Mbiwa among the replacements are 17-year-old striker Adam Armstrong, Shola Ameobi, Steven Taylor, Paul Dummett and Jak Alnwick.
Newcastle United (4-4-2): Rob Elliot; Davide Santon, Mike Williamson, Fabricio Coloccini (c), Massadio Haidara; Vurnon Anita, Cheick Tiote, Dan Gosling, Yoan Gouffran; Luuk de Jong, Papiss Cisse
Substitutes: Jak Alnwick, Paul Dummett, Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa, Steven Taylor, Hatem Ben Arfa, Shola Ameobi, Adam Armstrong
Manchester United (4-2-3-1): Anders Lindegaard; Antonio Valencia, Phil Jones, Chris Smalling, Patrice Evra; Darren Fletcher, Marouane Fellaini; Ashley Young, Juan Mata, Shinji Kagawa; Javier Hernandez
Substitutes: David de Gea, Alexander Büttner, Nemanja Vidic, Tom Cleverley, Adnan Januzaj, Nani, James Wilson
Referee: Kevin Friend (Leicestershire)