Injury lift for Magpies

Newcastle boss Glenn Roeder has been handed a timely fitness boost by the return of four key players from injury ahead of tomorrow’s Barclays Premiership clash with Watford.

Kieron Dyer (thigh), Scott Parker (back muscle) and Emre (ankle) are all back in the squad, while Damien Duff has a chance of being involved after making a speedy recovery from knee surgery.

Antoine Sibierski has shaken off an Achilles problem, but Charles N’Zogbia has been ruled out for several weeks with medial ligament damage and joins Michael Owen and Tim Krul (both knee), Shola Ameobi and Olivier Bernard (both hip), Craig Moore and Nolberto Solano (both hamstring), Titus Bramble (calf), Stephen Carr (foot) and Steve Harper (groin) on the sidelines.

Provisional squad: Given, Srnicek, Taylor, Ramage, Huntington, Babayaro, Parker, Butt, Emre, Milner, Duff, Pattison, Troisi, Gate, Edgar, Martins, Dyer, Sibierski, Luque, Rossi, Carroll.