ALAN Shearer has sent out a bold formation to face Portsmouth with Michael Owen,Mark Viduka and Oba Martins playing in a three-pronged attack.

The Newcastle manager is clearly going all for victory against Paul Hart's side.

Owen is expected to play just behind Viduka with Martins tasked to trouble the likes of Sol Campbell and former Magpie Sylvain Distin with his pace.

Joey Barton makes a shock return to the squad and is included on the bench alongside fit again Peter Lovenkrands.

Both Ryan Taylor and Kevin Nolan have been dropped from the squad but defender Fabricio Coloccini makes a return to the Newcastle defence.

Shearer also welcomes back Jose Enrique to the starting line-up as he looks to shore up a Newcastle defence that's been leaking goals of late.

David Nugent passed a late fitness test and starts in the Pompey attack longside Peter Crouch.

NEWCASTLE (4-3-3): Harper,Coloccini,Beye,Bassong,Enrique,Smith,Butt,Duff,Owen,Viduka,Martins

Subs: Krul,Edgar,Barton,Gutierrez,Guthrie,Lovenkrands,Carroll

PORTSMOUTH (4-4-2):

James,Johnson,Mullins,Hreidarsson,Campell,Distion,Davis,Hughes,Bejhadl,Nugent,Crouch

Subs

Crainie,Begovic,Basinas,Paramot,Utaka,Penant,Kanu