Aleksandar Mitrovic has been picked to lead the line as Newcastle United welcome Barnsley this afternoon looking to be crowned Championship champions.

Rafael Benitez makes three changes in total from the 2-0 victory at Cardiff City last time out, knowing that a victory today will gift his side the title today should Brighton & Hove Albion fail to take all three points at Aston Villa.

Mohamed Diame and Daryl Murphy start the game among the substitutes as Benitez switches to a 4-4-1-1 formation for the visit of Paul Heckingbottom's side, with Ayoze Perez handed a role just behind Mitrovic.

Jonjo Shelvey and Yoan Gouffran are back in the middle of the park, joining up with Jack Colback and Christian Atsu, while Isaac Hayden drops into a defensive role, coming into the back four for Ciaran Clark alongside DeAndre Yedlin, Chancel Mbemba and Paul Dummett. Rob Elliot keeps his place in goal.

Meanwhile, Dwight Gayle returns to the matchday squad and starts the game among the substitutes after recovering from a hamstring injury that saw him miss the trip to Wales.

For Barnsley, Heckingbottom makes two changes to the side that drew 1-1 with Burton Albion last time out, with Ryan Hedges coming in for Marley Watkins to partner Tom Bradshaw up front.

The other change sees Celtic loanee Saidy Janko replace Gethin Jones at right-back, with Adam Jackson, Angus MacDonald and Callum Elder all keeping their places in the back four and Adam Davies staying put in goal.

The midfield four of Josh Scowen, Matthew James, George Moncur and Ryan Kent remains unchanged.

Skipper Marc Roberts is once again absent with an ankle injury, while striker Adam Armstrong is ineligible to face his parent club today.

Newcastle United: Elliot; Yedlin, Hayden, Mbemba, Dummett; Atsu, Shelvey, Colback, Gouffran; Perez; Mitrovic
Subs: Darlow, Anita, Haidara, Lazaar, Diame, Gayle, Murphy

Barnsley: Davies; Janko, Elder, Jackson, MacDonald; Scowen, Moncur, James, Kent; Hedges, Bradshaw
Subs: Townsend, Evans, Jones, Mowatt, Williams, Lee, Watkins

Keep up with every twist and turn of the final day's action in the Championship with Sports Mole's full coverage here.

Written by
Neil Wilkes