8 changes: Isak starts, Saint-Maximin out & trio don't travel - Official team vs Sheffield Wednesday
The teams are in ahead of tonight's FA Cup clash at Sheffield Wednesday, where Alexander Isak STARTS for Eddie Howe's Mags at Hillsborough.
Here's the Toon XI in full, which features X changes from our 0-0 draw with Arsenal on Tuesday:
STARTING XI: Dubravka - Manquillo, Lascelles, Botman, Lewis - Joelinton, Longstaff, Anderson - Ritchie, Isak, Murphy.
SUBS: Darlow, Trippier, Dummett, Wood, Fraser, Almiron, Willock, Burn, Guimaraes.
Isak's return is a huge boost, seeing our club record signing start his first game since September's 1-1 draw with Bournemouth after recovering from an ongoing thigh issue.
It'll also be interesting to see the likes of Jamal Lewis and Elliot Anderson in action from the off, with Javier Manquillo, Jamaal Lascelles and Matt Ritchie also handed rare starts.
One notable absentee is an unwell Allan Saint-Maximin, who wasn't spotted getting off the team bus in Sheffield and doesn't feature in Howe's matchday squad.
Elsewhere, it's believed Nick Pope, Callum Wilson Fabian Schar haven’t travelled, with all three being given a rest by Eddie Howe ahead of Tuesday's Carabao Cup quarter final, but Paul Dummett is back on a bench that features Kieran Trippier, Miguel Almiron, Bruno Guimaraes and Joe Willock.
HWTL.
