Saturday, 4 May 2013

Newcastle decide not to rush Hatem Ben Arfa back for Europa League - The Guardian

Newcastle United's manager, Alan Pardew, has resisted the temptation to throw Hatem Ben Arfa back into Europa League action. The French midfielder, who has been sidelined since December with a hamstring injury, is back in training, but is more likely to figure in Sunday's Premier League match with Southampton.

Davide Santon has been rested while his fellow full-back Mathieu Debuchy and striker Yoan Gouffran are ineligible, but the January signings Massadio Haidara, Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa and Moussa Sissoko are all included.

The sides drew 0-0 in the first leg but the Metalist manager, Myron Markevich, says that does not mean his team are automatically favourites. "As I said after the first game, Newcastle are a very good team and they shouldn't be in the position they are in," he said.

Newcastle from Krul, Elliot, Simpson, Haidara, Coloccini, Taylor, Yanga-Mbiwa, Perch, Tioté, Anita, Bigirimana, Cabaye, Gutiérrez, Marveaux, Obertan, Sissoko, Gosling, Cissé, Sh Ameobi.

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