Newcastle United winger Jonas Gutierrez says Fabricio Coloccini is desperate to return.

Gutierrez will quite happily hand him back the skipper's armband he donned at Norwich City if it means he is ready for the Premier League encounter on Tyneside.

He told the Evening Chronicle: "Colo always wants to play.

"Maybe if he had played at Norwich he would miss many more games and we could not afford to lose him.

"I think it was an intelligent decision because last week he was not fully fit.

"He has had a week to come back and to prepare his fitness.

"He was upset to miss the game but he does not want to miss more than one game."