Newcastle United's Aleksandar Mitrovic has been handed a start in this afternoon's trip to Southampton.

His inclusion, on the back of scoring a brace in the Magpies' narrow defeat to Norwich City last time out, is one of two changes made by Rafael Benitez as Ayoze Perez is also promoted from the bench.

Cheick Tiote and Papiss Cisse are the men to make way, while Karl Darlow once again takes on goalkeeping duties in the absence of the injured Tim Krul.

Ronald Koeman makes three alterations to the XI that started the 1-0 defeat to Leicester City last weekend. Shane Long returns from a knee injury while Dusan Tadic is handed a start as Steven Davis and Matt Targett are out with injuries.

In defence, Cuco Martina takes the place of Cedric Soares.

Southampton: Forster, Bertrand, Martina, Fonte, Van Dijk, Clasie, Wanyama, Tadic, Long, Mane, Pelle
Subs: Stekelenburg, Cedric, Yoshida, Rodriguez, Romeu, Ward-Prowse, Austin

Newcastle United: Darlow, Anita, Mbemba, Taylor, Janmaat, Townsend, Shelvey, Wijnaldum, Sissoko, Perez, Mitrovic
Subs: Woodman, Dummett, Lascelles, Tiote, Obertan, De Jong, Cisse

Keep abreast of events in this afternoon's match with our play-by-play text updates.