Rafa Benitez hands Newcastle FA Cup starts to Freddie Woodman, Florian Lejeune and Kenedy

Florian Lejeune will make his comeback from injury against Blackburn Rovers tonight.

By The Newsroom

Published 5th Jan 2019, 15:32 BST

Updated 9th Jan 2019, 12:31 BST

Newcastle United take on the Championship club at St James's Park in a third-round tie (5.30pm kick-off).

And Lejeune – who ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament in the summer – has been handed a start by manager Rafa Benitez, who has made eight changes for the game.

Sean Longstaff, Jamie Sterry and Jacob Murphy also come into the side, while former United forward Adam Armstrong starts for Blackburn.

Armstrong is partnered up front by Gateshead-born Danny Graham.

NEWCASTLE UNITED: Woodman, Sterry, Lejeune, Schar, Manquillo; Murphy, Longstaff, Hayden, Kenedy, Ritchie; Joselu. Subs: Harker, Yedlin, Clark, Shelvey, Atsu, Perez, Rondon.