Emre lifts Magpies

Turkish midfielder Emre is back in the Newcastle squad for tomorrow’s Barclays Premiership clash with Blackburn after finally shaking off a hamstring problem.

The former Inter Milan star could return to the starting line-up after an eight-game absence, while Titus Bramble has recovered from the ankle injury which kept him out of the 1-0 defeat at Fulham last week.

However, manager Graeme Souness is still without Michael Owen (foot), Scott Parker (knee), Steven Taylor (shoulder), Stephen Carr (groin), Shola Ameobi (hip), Craig Moore (hamstring) and Amady Faye (international duty).

Provisional squad: Given, Harper, Ramage, Boumsong, Bramble, Babayaro, Elliott, Emre, Bowyer, Clark, Solano, N’Zogbia, Brittain, O’Brien, Shearer, Luque, Chopra.