LEON Barnett makes a welcome return from a four-game hamstring injury lay-off to partner Abdoulaye Meite at the heart of the Baggies defence.

The central-defensive duo are two of eight changes Tony Mowbray makes to the side that lost 3-1 to Burnley in their FA Cup fourth-round replay on Tuesday.

Ryan Donk, who has been playing with a groin injury, is left out altogether.

Carl Hoefkens replaces the suspended Gianni Zuiverloon at right-back and Paul Robinson is restored at left-back, with Marek Cech dropping to the bench.

Robert Koren (calf) and Borja Valero (hamstring) have overcome their injury problems and are restored to midfield along with Chris Brunt.

Filipe Teixeira is relegated to the dugout, while Graham Dorrans misses out altogether and Jay Simpson has failed to shake off a hamstring injury in time.

Roman Bednar, who is among the substitutes, loses his place to James Morrison on his comeback from a tight hamstring.

New loan signing Youssouf Mulumbu starts on the bench, where he is joined by Luke Moore on his return from a hamstring problem.

New winger Juan Carlos Menseguez has not received international clearance in time for the Hawthorns encounter.

With Joe Kinnear in hospital, Chris Hughton takes temporary charge of the Magpies, who make two changes to the side that drew 1-1 with Sunderland last weekend.

New signings Ryan Taylor and Peter Lovenkrands come in for the suspended Jonas Gutierrez and Andy Carroll, who misses out altogether.

ALBION (4-4-1-1): Carson; Hoefkens, Barnett, Meite, Robinson; Koren, Kim, Valero, Brunt; Morrison; Fortuné. Subs: Kiely (gk), Cech, Pele, Teixeira, Mulumbu, Bednar, Moore.

NEWCASTLE (4-4-2): Harper; S Taylor, Bassong, Coloccini, Enrique; R Taylor, Butt, Nolan, Duff; Lovenkrands, Ameobi. Subs: Forster (gk), Cacapa, Smith, Xisco, Geremi, Edgar, Viduka.

REFEREE: C Foy (Merseyside). 

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