Injury woe for Magpies

Newcastle suffered another injury blow ahead of their Barclays Premiership clash against Fulham after defender Titus Bramble failed a fitness test on a foot problem.

Peter Ramage replaced Bramble at centre-back after starting the 1-0 FA Cup victory over Mansfield on the bench while Lee Bowyer was restored to midfield following completion of his three-match ban.

New signing Antti Niemi made his Fulham debut after completing his £1m (€1.5m) move from Southampton earlier in the week.

Top scorer Brian McBride and Heidar Helguson were reunited in attack with both strikers overcoming their respective neck and hip injuries.

French midfielder Steed Malbranque was included among the substitutes after passing a fitness test on his thigh problem.

Fulham: Niemi, Rosenior, Knight, Pearce, Niclas Jensen, Radzinski, Boa Morte, Legwinski, Elliott, Helguson, McBride. Subs: Warner, Volz, Malbranque, John, Goma.

Newcastle: Given, Carr, Boumsong, Ramage, Babayaro, Solano, Bowyer, Clark, N’Zogbia, Shearer, Luque. Subs: Harper, O’Brien, Chopra, Brittain, Elliott.

Referee: A Wiley (Staffordshire)