Michael Owen starts for Newcastle against Wigan with Martins relegated to the bench. Perhaps more surprisingly, Wigan’s Sibierski has been passed fit and takes his place up front with Heskey against his former club.
Elsewhere in those sides, Harper keeps his place in goal an Cacapa comes in at centre-back with Taylor presumably covering the right-back role. Wigan meanwhile give a first start to Brown in place of Valencia who failed a fitness test. Brown seems set to start on the right of midfield with Scharner keeping his place in the centre.