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Team news: Bruce shuffles his pack
Written by Rory Mitchinson
Steve Bruce has rung the changes as Newcastle United take on relegation-threatened Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium this evening.
Of the players who started Sunday’s FA Cup quarter-final defeat to Man City, only five remain in the XI for the Magpies’ first away game since the season’s resumption.
Martin Dúbravka comes back in for Karl Darlow in goal, while Emil Krafth has been handed a rare start on the right of United’s four-man defence; the Swede hasn’t figured since January’s dramatic 2-2 draw at Everton. Federico Fernández, Jamaal Lascelles and Javier Manquillo – switching from right to left – make up the rest of the backline.
Nabil Bentaleb and Jonjo Shelvey both return to the Magpies’ central midfield, with Sean Longstaff keeping his place. And of the three attackers who kicked off Sunday’s cup tie, Allan Saint-Maximin is the only one retained this evening, with Joelinton and Dwight Gayle coming in for Miguel Almirón and Andy Carroll respectively.
Matt Ritchie – who struck a wonderful late equaliser in the same fixture last term – is only fit enough to make the bench against his former club.
Newcastle United: Martin Dúbravka, Emil Krafth, Jamaal Lascelles, Federico Fernández, Javier Manquillo, Nabil Bentaleb, Sean Longstaff, Jonjo Shelvey, Allan Saint-Maximin, Joelinton, Dwight Gayle.
Substitutes: Karl Darlow, DeAndre Yedlin, Danny Rose, Fabian Schär, Matt Ritchie, Isaac Hayden, Valentino Lazaro, Miguel Almirón, Andy Carroll.