Owen on the bench for Toon army

Newcastle v Everton

England striker Michael Owen was handed a seat on the bench for Newcastle’s Premier League clash with Everton just nine days after undergoing hernia surgery.

The 27-year-old fared better than both Mark Viduka and Shola Ameobi, who did not make the 16, while summer signing Jose Enrique was handed a first league start.

Defender Claudio Cacapa returned from injury, and there was a start too for Abdoulaye Faye as Steven Taylor, David Rozehnal and Viduka made way.

Everton boss David Moyes made four changes to the side which beat Metalist Kharkiv in Ukraine on Thursday evening as Tony Hibbert, Leighton Baines, Lee Carsley and Victor Anichebe took over from Alan Stubbs, Phil Jagielka, Leon Osman and Ayegbeni Yakubu.