Team News: Jonjo Shelvey handed Newcastle United captaincy against Stoke City

Newcastle United manager Steve McClaren has handed the captaincy to Jonjo Shelvey for this evening's Premier League clash with Stoke City at the Britannia Stadium.

Shelvey only joined the club from Swansea City in January, but with usual skipper Fabricio Coloccini currently sidelined, the England international has taken on the armband this evening.

The Magpies have made four changes to the side that was beaten by Chelsea in their last competitive match, which came 18 days ago.

Yoann Gouffran, Paul Dummett, Jamaal Lascelles and Jack Colback all return to the starting XI, with Rolando Aarons, Cheick Tiote and Andros Townsend joining Coloccini in missing out.

Stoke, meanwhile, name an unchanged side to the team that beat Aston Villa at the weekend, with Glenn Whelan available despite breaking his nose during Saturday's match.

Phil Bardsley has also overcome a knock to feature, while Jonathan Walters is once again preferred to Mame Biram Diouf, Peter Crouch and Bojan Krkic to lead the line.

Marko Arnautovic, who scored a brace at the weekend to make it six goals in his last eight league appearances at the Britannia Stadium, forms a trio alongside Xherdan Shaqiri and Ibrahim Afellay just behind the striker.

Stoke City: Butland; Bardsley, Cameron, Wollscheid, Pieters; Whelan, Imbula, Shaqiri, Afellay, Arnautovic; Walters Subs: Haugaard, Muniesa, Ireland, Joselu, Diouf, Crouch, Bojan

Newcastle United: Elliot; Janmaat, Taylor, Lascelles, Dummett; Shelvey, Colback, Sissoko, Wijnaldum, Gouffran; Mitrovic Subs: Darlow, Sterry, Saivet, Aarons, Perez, Riviere, Doumbia

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