Fabricio Coloccini setback for relegation-threatened Newcastle United '“ but two players return for Swansea

Fabricio Coloccini has lost his battle to be fit for Swansea City's visit to St James's Park.
Fabricio ColocciniFabricio Coloccini
Fabricio Coloccini

Newcastle United’s captain, sidelined since February with a calf problem, returned to training last week.

But Coloccini is not understood to be in line for a return on Saturday in what is a must-win game for the second-bottom club.

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And defender Jamaal Lascelles – who said United needed to show more “character, desire and heart” on the pitch after last weekend’s 3-1 loss to Southampton – is set to be recalled to the starting XI.

Steven Taylor will miss the Swansea match after suffering a strain at the St Mary’s Stadium, where he was replaced by Lascelles.

Daryl Janmaat, meanwhile, is having his groin and hand injuries assessed by the club.

The right-back limped out of the game after complaining of a groin injury.

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Janmaat also suffered a suspected two broken fingers after punching the dressing room wall.

Newcastle manager Rafa Benitez will have midfielder Jack Colback back from a two-game suspension, while defender Paul Dummett, an unused substitute at Southampton, is expected to return to the team.

Dummett has recovered from the hamstring problem which kept him out for more than a month.

Benitez felt the 24-year-old wasn’t fit enough to start at the St Mary’s Stadium.

Speaking last week, Benitez said: “Maybe we can wait a little bit, because physically he is maybe not at the level you can expect for this game.”