ALAN PARDEW has retained the same starting XI for the second successive Newcastle United game despite Saturday's goalless draw at Blackburn.
Pardew has opted to hand Peter Lovenkrands and Leon Best another opportunity to shine, despite an anaemic attacking display at Ewood Park.
That means Shefki Kuqi and Nile Ranger have to take their place on the bench again at Birmingham City, where they come up against former player Obafemi Martins.
BIRMINGHAM CITY (4-4-2): Foster; Carr, Johnson, Ridgewell, Jiranek; Bentley, Gardner, Ferguson, Larsson; Martins, Zigic. Subs: Doyle (gk), Murphy, Bowyer, Fahey, Beausejour, Phillips, Jerome.
NEWCASTLE UNITED (4-4-2): Harper; Simpson, Williamson, Coloccini, Enrique; Barton, Nolan, Tiote, Gutierrez; Lovenkrands, Best. Subs: Krul (gk), Campbell, Perch, Guthrie, Ferguson, Ranger, Kuqi.
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