Newcastle v Stoke: Anita Starts

By Anthony Marshall - Newcastle United Managing Editor

At St. James' Park

Vurnon Anita returns to the Newcastle United starting line-up for Saturday's Barclays Premier League home fixture against Stoke City (3pm kick-off).

The Dutch international midfielder replaces Jack Colback - who is ruled out for up to six weeks with a knee injury - and that is the only change from the Magpies' controversial Tyne-Wear derby defeat at Sunderland last weekend.

United are expected to keep fatih in the 4-4-2 formation that has served them so well over recent weeks, and goalkeeper Rob Elliot will start behind a back four of Daryl Janmaat, Chancel Mbemba, captain Fabricio Coloccini - whose red card on Wearside was rescinded in midweek - and Paul Dummett.

Anita will join Ivorian enforcer Cheick Tiote in the middle of the park, with Moussa Sissoko and Georgino Wijnaldum taking up roles on either flank.

And in the final third, Ayoze Perez will partner Aleksandar Mitrovic, with the duo both on two goals for the current campaign.

On an attack-minded substitutes' bench there are places for Papiss Cisse, Florian Thauvin, Yoan Gouffran, Siem de Jong, Massadio Haidara, Jamaal Lascelles and teenage goalkeeper Freddie Woodman.

Newcastle United (4-4-2): Rob Elliot; Daryl Janmaat, Chancel Mbemba, Fabricio Coloccini (c), Paul Dummett; Moussa Sissoko, Vurnon Anita, Cheick Tiote, Georginio Wijnaldum; Ayoze Perez, Aleksandar Mitrovic

Substitutes: Freddie Woodman, Massadio Haidara, Jamaal Lascelles, Siem de Jong, Yoan Gouffran, Florian Thauvin, Papiss Cisse

Stoke City (4-2-3-1): Jack Butland; Glen Johnson, Ryan Shawcross (c), Phillip Wollscheid, Erik Pieters; Glenn Whelan, Charlie Adam; Marko Arnautovic, Bojan Krkic, Xherdan Shaqiri; Jonathan Walters

Substitutes: Jakob Haugaard, Marc Wilson, Stephen Ireland, Marco van Ginkel, Ibrahim Afellay, Mame Biram Diouf, Peter Crouch

Referee: Roger East (Wiltshire)