Newcastle United boss Steve Bruce was relieved to see Ciaran Clark passed fit enough to start against his old club Aston Villa tonight.
The Republic of Ireland centre-back had been doubtful with a knock but will line up in the second city this evening.
With Jamaal Lascelles ruled out with a knee injury, with Jonjo Shelvey handed the skipper’s armband.
Bruce had an array of attacking options on the bench with Dwight Gayle, Andy Carroll and Christian Atsu in reserve while Fabian Schar was deemed fit enough for just a substitute role.
A gang of Villa fans waited for returning former boss Bruce with some half-hearted booing as he prepared to take on his ex-club.
Before the game Bruce had been asked about a cabbage being hurled at him in his last game as manager.
He said: “How they got it into the stadium I don’t know. Stephen Clemence miscontrolled it when it came in.
“My reaction was ‘what the **** is that?’ It didn’t miss me by much, it fell at my feet. I thought it was a ball, the size of it.”
The Magpies can climb up to the top 10 with three points at Villa Park tonight.
UNITED : Dubravka, Yedlin, Fernandez, Clark, Dummett, Willems, Almiron, Hayden, Shelvey, Saint-Maximin, Joelinton
Subs: Darlow, Schar, Carroll, Gayle, Krafth, Atsu, Longstaff
