The match has been switched from New Year's Eve, when thousands of supporters would have been leaving St. James' Park at the same time as a significant public parade event at the city's Civic Centre.

Five of the Magpies' festive fixtures have now moved, with trips to Forest, Wigan Athletic and Blackburn Rovers and a home clash with Sheffield Wednesday all selected for live broadcast by Sky Sports.The home fixture with Nottingham Forest will not be shown live in the UK.