Newcastle and Blackburn go head-to-head in one of only two all-Premier League encounters in the third round of the FA Cup.
Magpies and Rovers lock horns in the third round of the FA Cup
Newcastle and Blackburn go head-to-head in one of only two all-Premier League encounters in the third round of the FA Cup.
The other top flight tussle involves Manchester rivals United and City, but the Magpies will feel that their meeting with Rovers has just as much riding on it.
Victory for Newcastle would offer them momentum heading forward in the competition, while Blackburn will welcome a distraction from the pursuit of league points.
The Magpies, who saw off title-chasing Manchester United in their last outing, have caught the eye this season and will view the FA Cup as an ideal opportunity to stage a push for long-awaited silverware.
Rovers, meanwhile, will be torn between their desire to embark on a cup run and their reluctance to place any more demands on a squad that is already facing up to a relegation dogfight.
Both sides have vowed to take the game seriously but one will find themselves falling at the first hurdle on Saturday afternoon, with their cup dreams dashed for another year.
African duo missing
Newcastle will begin life without striker Demba Ba and midfielder Cheick Tiote this weekend.
The pair will be missing for several weeks after heading off on African Cup of Nations duty with Senegal and the Ivory Coast respectively.
The game will come too soon for midfielder Danny Guthrie, who is expected to return to training after a groin injury on Monday, while Peter Lovenkrands (calf), Steven Taylor (Achilles) and Sylvain Marveaux (groin) remain on the sidelines.
Givet in contention
Gael Givet could make a welcome return to the Blackburn starting XI on Tyneside.
The French defender is in line to make his first start since being substituted at Sunderland in December with heart palpitations.
He has fully recovered from a minor procedure to correct the problem and came through 20 minutes of Rovers' 2-1 defeat by Stoke on Monday unscathed.
Manager Steve Kean will also assess hamstring victims Martin Olsson and Junior Hoilett before finalising his plans for the cup clash.
