JOE KINNEAR has brought back Newcastle United striker Shola Ameobi in the absence of the injured Obafemi Martins to face Tottenham today.
With Martins sidelined with hamstring trouble ahead of the Christmas schedule, Kinnear has resisted the temptation to hand Mark Viduka his first start.
That means Ameobi starts alongside Michael Owen, which is the only change to the team that comfortably brushed aside Portsmouth at Fratton Park seven days ago.
Tottenham, meanwhile, are without former Newcastle defender Jonathan Woodgate, whose place at the heart of the defence has been given to Northallerton's Michael Dawson.
NEWCASTLE UNITED (4-4-2): Given; Beye, Coloccini, Bassong, Enrique; Gutierrez, Guthrie, Butt, N’Zogbia; Ameobi, Owen. Subs: Duff, Harper, Geremi, Taylor, Edgar, Viduka, Carroll.
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR (4-4-2): Gomes; Corluka, King, Dawson, Assou-Ekotto; Lennon, Huddlestone, Zokora, Bentley; Modric, Pavlyuchenko. Subs: Bale, Gunter, Campbell, Taarabt, Sanchez, Boateng, O’Hara.
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