Magpies depleted by injuries

Injury-hit Newcastle face Tottenham at St James’ Park tomorrow without a host of first-team regulars after more bad news for manager Alan Pardew this week.

Alan Smith could miss the rest of the season with the ankle injury he sustained in the 1-1 draw at Sunderland last weekend while leading scorer Andy Carroll is recovering slower than expected from his thigh strain.

Dan Gosling made his return from a serious knee injury last weekend but is now out again after the joint swelled up, and he joins Steven Taylor (hamstring), Sol Campbell (leg), Hatem Ben Arfa (double leg fracture) and Ryan Taylor (ankle ligaments) on the sidelines.

Captain Kevin Nolan has a throat infection but will start while midfielder Cheik Tiote serves the second instalment of a three-match ban following his sending-off in the FA Cup defeat by Stevenage. Wayne Routledge is also unlikely to be involved after Newcastle accepted a bid from QPR to take him on loan.

Team (from): Harper, Krul, Simpson, Perch, Ferguson, Enrique, Coloccini, Williamson, Barton, Nolan, Gutierrez, Guthrie, Vuckic, Donaldson, Ameobi, Lovenkrands, Best, Ranger.