Mama Sidibe claims his place is under threat after Stoke completed the loan signing of the Toon striker, but the Mali striker is struggling to be fit for the game with a hamstring problem.
And with 14-goal Ricardo Fuller back from suspension it could pave the way for the Jamaican to cement a new strike partnership with Ameobi for the rest of the campaign.
Sidibe believes his new team-mate can only boost Stoke's promotion aspirations and his own performance having made 30 league appearances so far this term.
Sidibe: "It may be Ricardo and Shola who play because Ricardo has scored many goals this year, and Shola has great experience from the Premier League which can help us. It's not a problem for me.
"It's something that can make me stronger for the rest of the season."