Starting line-up as Benitez urges side to regain winning thread
goals he hopes will take United to the Premier League.
Gayle’s hamstring injury was playing on the striker’s mind before the international break.
The birth of his daughter just before the Aston Villa match saw the forward’s training curtailed and Gayle felt a problem there during the match.
It is understood Gayle believes strengthening work will prevent him from suffering a relapse after recovering from an injury which caused him to miss several weeks earlier in the season and a chunk of last term with Crystal Palace.
He has been able to do that on the training ground during the international break and that should see him edge out Daryl Murphy, who trained ahead of the Wigan game, and Aleksandar Mitrovic, who scored for Serbia against Georgia and has returned to Tyneside in good spirits.
Benitez will face the media for the first time since the Birmingham game today and is set to call for unity between fans and the players for the final eight games.
Newcastle are firm favourites to roll over the strugglers but United’s home form has not been good since the turn of the year and the Latics are better away from home – hardly a favourable mix for a team who have looked nervy on their own patch.
Benitez knows his team may have to be patient to break down Wigan but he is confident they have the ability to do that.
He has been further boosted by the likely return of Isaac Hayden, while Paul Dummett and Grant Hanley are also fit despite pulling out of international duty with Wales and Scotland respectively. NEWCASTLE to win the race to three goals at 15/8 with William Hill.