Steve Bruce makes FOUR changes to Newcastle United's starting XI

Bruce’s side take on Carlo Ancelotti’s Everton at St James’s Park this afternoon looking to extend an eight-game Premier League unbeaten run on Tyneside.

And Andy Carroll, Jonjo Shelvey, Isaac Hayden and DeAndre Yedlin come into the starting XI. Carroll, Shelvey and Hayden were rested against Manchester United on Boxing Day.

Sean and Matty Longstaff drop down to the bench along with Dwight Gayle and Javier Manquillo. Paul Dummett remains unavailable along with captain Jamaal Lascelles, Matt Ritchie, Allan Saint-Maximin and Ciaran Clark. Shelvey will skipper the team for the game.

Newcastle are 10th in the division with 25 points following their 4-1 at Old Trafford, while Everton are 13th.

On playing two games in three days, head coach Bruce said: “It’s ludicrous. I know it’s the festive period, but we say the same thing year in, year out.

“For the first four months of the season we play 12 games, and then you’re asked to play six or seven in a month. I know there’s a (winter) break for the first time, but it’s in February. It doesn’t really make sense to me.”

The game is sold out following the club’s decision to give 10,000 half-season tickets to season-ticket holders earlier this month.

NEWCASTLE UNITED: Dubravka; Yedlin, Schar, Fernandez, Lejeune, Willems; Almiron, Hayden, Shelvey, Joelinton; Carroll. Subs: Darlow, Gayle, Manquillo, Krafth, Atsu, S Longstaff, M Longstaff.