Five missing for Newcastle

Newcastle manager Graeme Souness will be without five of his first-choice players for Sunday’s Barclays Premiership trip to former club Blackburn.

Scott Parker is suspended after his red card against Fulham last weekend, while Albert Luque is out for up to 10 weeks with a ruptured hamstring.

Emre and Kieron Dyer (both hamstring) and Nolberto Solano (thigh) will also be missing but Shola Ameobi returns after a calf problem.

PROVISIONAL SQUAD: Given, Harper, Carr, Babayaro, Elliott, Bramble, Boumsong, Taylor, Ramage, Bowyer, N’Zogbia, Clark, Faye, Brittain, Shearer, Owen, Ameobi.