Albion head coach Roberto Di Matteo will check on the fitness of five players. Chris Brunt (groin), Peter Odemwingie (knee), James Morrison (back), Paul Scharner (knee) and Nicky Shorey (illness) will all be assessed. Di Matteo said: "We are hoping that some of these players will be available on Sunday." Midfielder Youssouf Mulumbu will serve the second game of a two-match ban after his sending-off at Everton. Central defender Jonas Olsson could return to action early in the new year after encouraging news about his Achilles problem. Newcastle welcome back midfielder Joey Barton following the completion of his three-match ban for punching Blackburn's Morten Gamst Pedersen. But centre-back pairing Fabricio Coloccini and Mike Williamson both serve the second of their three-match bans while captain Kevin Nolan is also out with an ankle problem. Goalkeeper Steve Harper (shoulder) resumed training this week while Leon Best (ankle) is also closing in on a return, but Ryan Taylor (ankle ligaments), Dan Gosling (knee) and Hatem Ben Arfa (leg) remain on the sidelines. West Brom (from): Carson, Myhill, Jara, Hurst, Tamas, Scharner, Ibanez, Cech, Shorey, Reid, Dorrans, Brunt, Morrison, Tchoyi, Cox, Odemwingie, Fortune, Miller, Meite, Barnes, Thomas, Berahino. Newcastle (from): Krul, Soderberg, Simpson, Perch, Ferguson, Enrique, S. Taylor, Campbell, Kadar, Barton, Tiote, Smith, Routledge, Gutierrez, Guthrie, Vuckic, Tavernier, Donaldson, Carroll, Ameobi, Lovenkrands, Ranger, Xisco.
