Newcastle United captain Fabricio Coloccini has come back into the side after almost three months out with a back injury against West Ham United today.

Danny Simpson replaces James Perch in defence, where Mathieu Debuchy is also suspended in what is a crucial game for relegation-threatened Newcastle.

French forwards Hatem Ben Arfa and Yoan Gouffran are selected, meaning that Moussa Sissoko misses out.

West Ham are unchanged from the team that lost to Manchester City last week. Andy Carroll and Kevin Nolan will be hoping for a positive result against their former club.

West Ham: Jaaskelainen, Demel, Collins, Reid, O'Brien, Diame, O'Neil, Vaz Te, Nolan, Jarvis, Carroll
Subs: Henderson, Carlton Cole, Collison, Taylor, Noble, Pogatetz, Joe Cole

Newcastle: Elliot, Simpson, Steven Taylor, Coloccini, Yanga-Mbiwa, Ben Arfa, Cabaye, Tiote, Gouffran, Gutierrez, Cisse
Subs: Harper, Williamson, Anita, Perch, Gosling, Ameobi, Campbell

Written by
Grant Yardley