Full-back Celestine Babayaro will return to the Newcastle squad for the clash with Tottenham after serving a one-match ban, but I know many Toon fans who would rather see young Paul Huntington keep his place.
Huntington has done himself proud since his introduction to first team football, and has done no wrong. And that cannot be said of Babayaro in recent weeks who has been well below par.
Glenn Roeder will make a late check on winger Damien Duff, who is still suffering a slight reaction to his knee cartilage surgery.
Michael Owen, Charles N'Zogbia and Tim Krul (all knee), Shola Ameobi and Olivier Bernard (both hip), Craig Moore (hamstring), Titus Bramble (calf), Stephen Carr (foot) and Steve Harper (groin) are all out.
Tottenham winger Aaron Lennon is still suffering from an inflammation of his knee and is unlikely to feature, but Hossam Ghaly is available after a thigh complaint. Spurs have skipper Ledley King and Didier Zokora back.
The return of Jermaine Jenas to St James' Park will not happen as the ex-Toon midfielder is out with an ankle injury, and Robbie Keane is also sidelined.
NEWCASTLE (from): Given, Srnicek, Solano, Babayaro, Taylor, Ramage, Huntington, Parker, Butt, Emre, Milner, Duff, Pattison, Troisi, Gate, Edgar, Martins, Dyer, Sibierski, Luque, Rossi, Carroll.
TOTTENHAM (from): Robinson, Cerny, Chimbonda, Lee, Dawson, King, Assou-Ekotto, Stalteri, Davenport, Gardner, Zokora, Davids, Tainio, Murphy, Ghaly, Malbranque, Ziegler, Huddlestone, Berbatov, Mido, Defoe.