Hamstrung Hatem Ben Arfa misses out against Potters (From The Northern Echo)

Hamstrung Hatem Ben Arfa misses out against Potters

2:22pm Sunday 10th March 2013 in Sport

HATEM BEN ARFA has been left out of the Newcastle United side to face Stoke City this afternoon.

The winger suffered injury at Anzhi on Thursday night in the Europa League in his first start in two months, and manager Alan Pardew will not risk him against The Potters at St James' Park.

Papiss Cisse has recovered from illness and will lead the line this afternoon, while Shola Ameobi misses out after coming on as a substitute in Moscow in midweek.

Tony Pulis' Potters feature a defensive-looking lineup, missing Robert Huth who is serving a ban for violent conduct.

Four out of the seven Stoke City substitutes have North-East connections, with former Magpies striker Michael Owen returning to Gallowgate, and ex-Sunderland trio Thomas Sorensen, Kenwyne Jones and Dean Whitehead all start on the bench.

NEWCASTLE UNITED (4-2-3-1): Elliot; Debuchy, Taylor, Yanga-Mbiwa, Santon; Cabaye, Tiote; Gutierrez, Sissoko, Gouffran; Cisse. Subs: Anita, Perch, Haidara, Marveaux, Obertan, Harper, Campbell.

STOKE CITY: Begovic; Cameron, Wilkinson, Shawcross, Wilson, Shotton; N'Zonzi, Whelan, Walters; Crouch, Jerome. Subs: Sorensen, Jones, Owen, Adam, Whitehead, Kightly, Shea.

Referee: Andre Marriner

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