Jonjo Shelvey and Aleksandar Mitrovic dropped, Moussa Sissoko handed Newcastle captaincy

Shelvey, signed for £12million from Swansea in January, has struggled for form under Benitez.

Midfielder Moussa Sissoko will skipper the team, with Shelvey having been made captain in the absence through injury of Fabricio Coloccini.

Mitrovic, meanwhile, was disappointing in last weekend's 3-1 defeat to Southampton at the St Mary's Stadium.

Striker Papiss Cisse returns to the starting XI along with fit-again defender Paul Dummett.

Newcastle are six points adrift of safety, though they have two games in hand over 17th-placed Norwich City.

NEWCASTLE UNITED: Darlow, Anita, Mbemba, Lascelles, Dummett, Townsend, Tiote, Colback, Sissoko, Wijnaldum, Cisse. Subs: Woodman, Shelvey, Obertan, Aarons, de Jong, Perez, Mitrovic.

SWANSEA CITY: Fabianski, Rangel, Fernandez, Williams, Taylor, Fer, Cork, Sigurdsson, Montero, Ayew, Paloschi. Subs: Nordfeldt, Naughton, Amat, Britton, Routledge, Barrow, Gomis.

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