Souness brings back Taylor, Faye

Newcastle boss Graeme Souness brought back Steven Taylor and Amdy Faye for the Barclays Premiership clash against Crystal Palace as his injury worries eased slightly.

Centre-back Taylor and defensive midfielder Faye returned from ankle problems in two of three changes to the side which drew 0-0 with Middlesbrough on Wednesday night.

Shola Ameobi was drafted back in alongside skipper Alan Shearer and James Milner in a three-pronged attack in place of Kieron Dyer, whose season ended in midweek with a recurrence of his hamstring injury.

Palace manager Iain Dowie had no such problems as he selected his strongest line-up for a game in which he knew defeat could plunge his side back into the bottom three.

Newcastle: Given, Carr, Taylor, Boumsong, Elliott, Ambrose, Faye, N’Zogbia, Milner, Ameobi, Shearer. Subs: Andrew O’Brien, Kluivert, Harper, Robert, Ramage.

Crystal Palace: Kiraly, Sorondo, Popovic, Hall, Granville, Routledge, Leigertwood, Hughes, Riihilahti, Soares, Johnson. Subs: Torghelle, Watson, Speroni, Ventola, Lakis.

Referee: A Wiley (Staffordshire)