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Team news: Saint-Maximin starts as Bruce goes strong
Written by Rory Mitchinson
Allan Saint-Maximin is back in Newcastle United’s starting XI as the Magpies look to see off West Bromwich Albion and progress to the last eight of the FA Cup.
The French winger was introduced as a late substitute in United’s Premier League draw at home to Burnley on Saturday, but will be involved from the off as Steve Bruce deploys a 4-2-3-1 formation at the Hawthorns.
Saint-Maximin is joined by Miguel Almirón and Valentino Lazaro – the latter making his FA Cup debut for Newcastle – in an attacking midfield triumvirate, with Joelinton starting up front on his own.
In the middle of the pitch, Nabil Bentaleb and Sean Longstaff – neither of whom figured against the Clarets at St. James’ Park – both return to the fray, with Jonjo Shelvey on the bench and Isaac Hayden not in the United squad.
The Magpies’ back four is largely unchanged from Saturday, with the only change seeing Fabian Schär come in for Federico Fernández. And in between the sticks, it’s Karl Darlow who starts, Newcastle’s regular reserve stopper having played in both games against Oxford United in the previous round.
Former Baggie Dwight Gayle joins Shelvey among United’s list of substitutes, the frontman having spent the 2018/19 campaign on loan at the Hawthorns before returning to Tyneside last summer.
Newcastle United: Karl Darlow, Javier Manquillo, Fabian Schär, Jamaal Lascelles, Danny Rose, Nabil Bentaleb, Sean Longstaff, Valentino Lazaro, Allan Saint-Maximin, Miguel Almirón, Joelinton.
Substitutes: Rob Elliot, DeAndre Yedlin, Florian Lejeune, Matty Longstaff, Jonjo Shelvey, Matt Ritchie, Dwight Gayle.