Would No Tiote Mean No Cissé For NUFC v Norwich?

With Cheick Tiote having picked up a thigh strain against Arsenal, it is touch and go as to whether he will face Norwich.

As Newcastle go looking for a win to get us back on track you’d imagine the emphasis will be very much on attack in what looks a very winnable match, especially with the Canaries having struggled in recent weeks.

With Hatem Ben Arfa looking to continue the form that he has shown against the mackems and Arsenal, it looks as though as he would be sure to start, while Demba Ba is obviously a no-brainer on the teamsheet.

That leaves Papiss Cissé and I’m pretty sure if Tiote starts he will as well. However, the problem comes if Cheick isn’t in the team, will the manager risk Norwich possibly exposing an attacking line-up without the covering power of the Ivory Coast midfielder?

The most likely replacement in Tiote’s absence would be Danny Guthrie but while his passing can be very good, his mobility and defensive work aren’t in the same league.