Good afternoon and welcome to the live commentary of the Premier League clash between Newcastle United and Norwich City.

Newcastle enter this game on a high following back-to-back wins over Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur which has helped them get over their derby defeat to Sunderland three weeks ago.

Alan Pardew's side have responded in the best possible manner to that loss and following their victories they are right in amongst several sides in the top half of the table bearing down on the Champions League places.

The form of striker Loic Remy has been key to their success as he bagged those crucial strikes against Chelsea and Tottenham along with several other important goals this season. So far, he is arguably the signing of the summer following his loan move from Queens Park Rangers. The Magpies have to do their utmost to get him on a permanent basis.

Norwich picked up a key victory last time out against West Ham United to move out of the relegation zone as they came from behind thanks to a very good second-half performance. The Canaries finally seemed to look a threat going forward and scored some excellent goals to keep their problems away, for now anyway.

Chris Hughton returns to St James' Park for the second time after leaving the club in 2010 after successfully returning them to the Premier League following their relegation from the top flight in 2009. He is still widely respected at the club and should expect a good reception this afternoon.

Hughton would have been a relieved man to see that Gary Hooper scored one of the goals to earn his side the win over the Hammers, while Leroy Fer added the third late on. His signings haven't quite hit the ground running this season but maybe that was the start of things to come from them during the campaign after a heavy outlay of spending this summer.

The team news has just been announced and we'll start with the home side.

NEWCASTLE STARTING XI: Krul, Yanga-Mbiwa, Coloccini, Williamson, Santon, Sissoko, Cabaye, Tiote, Gouffran, S. Ameobi, Remy

NORWICH STARTING XI: Ruddy, Martin, Turner, Bennett, Olsson, Johnson, Fer, Howson, Redmond, Pilkington, Hooper

Pardew makes one change to his side and it is enforced as Fabricio Coloccini comes back into the team and replaces the suspended Mathieu Debuchy, who picked up his fifth yellow card of the season against Spurs. That will mean Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa shifts from centre-back to right-back.

Hughton meanwhile makes two changes as Bradley Johnson and Nathan Redmond get starts and replace Johan Elmander and Robert Snodgrass in the lineup as they opt to go for a 4-5-1 formation against the Magpies.

NEWCASTLE SUBS: Elliot, Haidara, Anita, Sammy Ameobi, Obertan, Ben Arfa, Cisse

NORWICH SUBS: Nash, Whittaker, Bassong, Hoolahan, Elmander, Becchio, Murphy

STAT ATTACK! Norwich haven't won at St James' Park since 1988 when they ran out 2-0 victors. Hughton will be looking to change that at his old club.

STAT ATTACK! Fourteen of Newcastle's 15 goals this season have been scored by players who are French. Paul Dummett is the only Englishman to have scored for the Magpies in the current campaign.

STAT ATTACK! Since Hughton took charge of the club the Canaries have won just three of their 24 away games. Not a good omen for today.

The players are making their way out onto the field and we should be underway shortly.

We're underway at St James' Park.

The Magpies are straight on the attack as Cabaye whips a cross into the area and Martin has to force the ball behind for a corner.

Norwich clear the danger and try to launch a counter-attack but Yanga-Mbiwa gets across Redmond and knocks the ball back to Krul to break up the play.

Newcastle take the lead as Cabaye fires a corner in from the left and the ball goes right through to the back post where Remy is there to tap the ball into the net, getting round his man Johnson for his eighth goal of the season.

A disastrous start from the visitors and the home side look good with the ball and full of confidence. This could get messy if the Canaries don't get a grip quickly.

Pilkington breaks down the left and beats his man inside and offloads to Redmond who tries to take a touch to get into the box but a good tackle from Coloccini breaks up the attack as the winger dwelled for too long on the ball.

Newcastle's passing is slick as Ameobi and Remy combine on a break thanks to a surging run from Cabaye, but the attack comes to nothing as they pass out wide to Gouffran and he is tackled by Johnson.

CHANCE! Martin lifts a ball over the top of the Newcastle defence for Redmond to chase and he brings the ball down inside the area, but Coloccini manages to get back and put him under pressure but the winger shoots anyway and his effort sails over the bar.

CHANCE! Norwich threaten again as Pilkington lofts a ball into the area from a free kick and Bennett knocks into into the six-yard box, where Redmond tries to scramble it home but Ameobi of all people puts his body on the line and manages to clear the danger.

An excellent response from Norwich after going behind early on but they haven't found the equaliser that they probably deserve. They've used the ball well which is a positive sign for them given their struggles on the road.

Newcastle try to slow the tempo of the game down a bit as Cabaye, Sissoko and Santon exchange passes on the left but good pressing by the Canaries forces them back to Krul who boots the ball downfield.

The home side work the ball again down the left and this time Santon finds Tiote in the middle of the park and he surges towards box before firing a vicious effort at goal that goes well wide of the target. Bit wasteful from the Ivorian.

Again more possession football from the Magpies and Cabaye tees up an effort from about 20 yards out but his effort goes past the post. A lot of decent passing from the home side but they need to get the ball in more threatening areas of the pitch.

Newcastle win a corner as Remy's effort deflects over Bennett and goes behind. Cabaye lofts a dangerous cross into the area but Turner gets up well and clears with a powerful header.

Sissoko goes down in a challenge with Howson and the Magpies are awarded a free kick. Cabaye takes again but the Canaries defence seems to have tightened since the opening minutes and Bennett clears.

CHANCE! Sissoko gets down the left and digs out an opening for Remy in a similar place to where he scored against Chelsea. He tries to get the ball on his left foot but under pressure from Bennett he puts his effort wide of the post.

Cabaye tries to slip a through ball for Remy who does well to get space in the channel but as soon as he gets the ball and tries to race clear, he's flagged offside.

CHANCE! Cabaye raids forward through the midfield again and slides a pass to Sissoko in the inside right channel between Bennett and Olsson. He bears down goal but he can't find the target as he fires wide of the post.

CHANCE! Newcastle break again as Gouffran surges through the middle but the Canaries defence get back at him. The Frenchman finds Remy on the left, who cuts inside and fakes once, twice but his shot is blocked by Bennett and a long shot from Santon goes wide.

It's backs to wall for the visitors at the moment and they desperately need to avoid going two goals behind.

Newcastle up the tempo as Cabaye and Tiote are permanently encamped in the Norwich half and the Canaries can't seem to stem the tide at the moment, they need an out ball from somewhere because it just keeps coming back at them.

The Magpies double their lead and they deserve their second as they've been on top for the majority of the half. They broke down the right and Remy found Sissoko, who lifted a cross into the area, and Ameobi beat Turner in the air and Ruddy could only parry his headed effort but Gouffran was there to turn the ball home.

Newcastle are coasting now as they're knocking the ball around with ease and under little pressure from the visitors. It's as comfortable as it gets for the home side.

Norwich just aren't producing anything of note at the moment, as they look completely zapped of confidence.

SAVE! Ruddy keeps his side in the game with a brilliant save to deny Ameobi as his powerful strike from the edge of the area look destined for the bottom corner but the keeper got a big hand to the ball to turn it past the post.

Newcastle are in full control of this game at the break as they've dominated the visitors bar five-minute spell after their first goal. They've passed the ball around with ease and should arguably been further ahead, but Pardew will be delighted with what he has seen.

Norwich have been poor and they started the game in the worst possible fashion by conceding a very sloppy goal as Johnson allowed Remy to nip in behind him and get the opener. They could have got themselves level with a couple of chances but Redmond wasn't able to take either opportunity that fell his way and they paid the price when Gouffran doubled the hosts' lead. Ruddy may have kept them in the game at the end of the half and maybe that will inspire them after the break.

Newcastle have also looked fairly solid defensively as Ameobi put his body on the line to stop Redmond's shot while Coloccini covered well to deny the winger earlier in the half.

The players are back out on the pitch and we should be underway shortly.

We're back underway as St James' Park.

Pilkington goes down with an injury following a challenge with Cabaye and the stretcher is on as it looks a bad injury. Not good for the winger and he is indeed taken off on the stretcher.

SUBSTITUTION: Elmander replaces the injured Pilkington.

The tempo of the game has suffered because of that injury slightly and we're just about back into the swing of things after the delay as Newcastle pass the ball around with ease again.

The home side's midfield move the ball with pace around the area and Cabaye finds Ameobi on the edge of the box and he hits an effort at goal but this time it's tame and straight at Ruddy.

Sissoko surges through the midfield and advances towards the box at pace, Turner and Bennett try to edge him out before he can shoot at goal and the defenders do just enough as the midfielder's effort goes wide of the post.

Redmond tries to hit back at the Magpies as he finds space in the final third of the pitch but his effort goes wide from about 20 yards. That's the best the Canaries have mustered since the 13th minute of the game.

The tempo has really dropped off as the Magpies seem content to hit the Canaries on the break if they try to come at them, while if they don't short range passes are the name of the game. Norwich have to force the issue if they want to get back into the match.

Norwich lose possession in their own half and Cabaye immediately looks for Remy over the top and the striker collects the ball in the inside left channel and drives towards the edge of the box but he's dispossessed by Turner and the Newcastle fans think it's a free kick but Mike Deans says no.

Norwich are lacking ideas as the moment as Johnson gets the ball in the middle of the park and tries to loft a ball to Elmander at the back-post but his pass is cleared with ease by Yanga-Mbiwa setting up the Magpies on the counter.

Newcastle win a free kick right on the edge of the box as Remy is brought down by Johnson and this time Dean agrees with the home supporters. Cabaye will take the free kick.

The Frenchman blasts his effort into the wall and the Canaries clear the danger, that was poor from the midfielder. We've come to expect better of him from that range.

The visitors' problems are summed up as Gouffran somehow wins the ball from Fer deep in Newcastle territory and then spins his way out of three tackles before he's finally felled and wins a free kick easing the pressure on the hosts.

Ameobi gets the ball from 30 yards out and the home fans encourage him to shoot and he follows their instructions as he blasts the ball over the bar into the crowd. That was a really poor effort.

CHANCE! A first chance of the half and it falls to the Canaries with an opportunity to get back into the game as Olsson whips a cross in from the left and Fer rises above Santon but he can only head over the bar from six yards out.

That was a real chance for the visitors and now they look more deflated than ever. Newcastle are slowly edging towards a win here, which would be their third in row.

CHANCE! Howson whips a corner in for the visitors and Bennett's gets a header on the ball and it takes a deflection and somehow goes just past the post. That was really unlucky for Hughton and his side there.

From the resulting corner again Howson puts a dangerous cross into the box and Krul is forced to palm it away before Turner can get a head on it. Newcastle under pressure finally.

Norwich get back into the game and this time Fer makes no mistake with his header as he powers his effort into the bottom corner from Redmond's cross into the box and now we have a game on.

Newcastle press upfield and win a corner, which comes to nothing, Are they starting to feel the pressure after being in complete control of this game for 80 minutes.

CHANCE! Ben Afra tries to weave some magic down the right and he does well to lift a cross into the area and Cisse gets a flick on the ball but his header lands on the roof of the net.

Norwich get the chance to put the Magpies under more pressure as Elmander is fouled 35 yards from goal and that will allow Redmond to whip a ball into the area.

Redmond fires ball into the box and Williamson clears the danger and Turner is flagged for a foul anyway to alleviate the pressure on the Magpies for now.

Another chance to threaten from a free kick for the visitors as Hooper is fouled 25 yards from goal.

Hoolahan blasts an effort at goal but it takes a deflection off the wall and goes over the bar a corner to come from the Canaries.

Newcastle clear their lines from Hoolahan's corner as it went right through the box and Remy hoofed the ball upfield.

There will be five minutes of added time.

CHANCE! Remy has the chance to seal the game for the Magpies on a counterattack but his shot from the edge of the area sails wide of the post.

Norwich launch everyone forward and Murphy lifts a cross into the box but Turner is somehow in an offside position and a free kick is given. That is inexcusable from the defender at this stage in the game.

One more chance to launch the ball forward for the Canaries but Bennett fouls Sissoko and he falls to the ground in apparent agony and another free kick is awarded.

Newcastle hang on at the end to win their third successive Premier League game. It shouldn't have been that hard for them but they failed to kill the game off in the second half and conceded a sloppy goal but fortunately for them the Canaries couldn't muster anything late on.

Pardew will be pleased with his side's performance for the main part of the game as they controlled the tempo with good passing and took the opportunities that came their way. Remy continues to find the net while Gouffran added a good poached goal for the second. They got a bit too comfortable late on which should be a reminder to them that they can't switch off in the Premier League but things are looking good for the Magpies.

Norwich were lacklustre in this game and didn't deserve anything from it as they failed to compete bar five-minute spells in either half. Hughton will be disappointed at the sloppy goals his side conceded both from crosses into the area, meanwhile their away form continues to be poor, which will be a major concern. They're in for a battle at the bottom.

Thanks for joining our commentary this afternoon. Be sure to stay tuned for our continued coverage of the Premier League this weekend, but from it's goodbye.