Wayne Rooney will spearhead Manchester United's attack when the Barclays Premier League champions open their title defence against Newcastle United at Old Trafford on Sunday.

Rooney missed the last two weeks of pre-season with a virus but Sir Alex Ferguson has confirmed the England man is fit and will partner Carlos Tevez in attack.

Nani is suspended, so Ferguson must make changes from the Community Shield win over Portsmouth last weekend, with Michael Carrick tipped for a start.

Newcastle have included Argentina defender Fabricio Coloccini in their squad after he was signed from Deportivo La Coruna for an undisclosed fee.

The Magpies will be without four strikers - captain Michael Owen, Mark Viduka and Andy Carroll because of injury and Shola Ameobi who is talking to Ipswich ahead of a possible move - for the match at Old Trafford.

But there was some good news on the striking front when Obafemi Martins returned from Nigeria feeling fine following a knee injury.

Joey Barton is not considered and Nicky Butt will captain the side on his former home ground in the absence of Owen.

Manchester United: Van der Sar, Kuszczak, Neville, Brown, R Da Silva, Ferdinand, Vidic, O'Shea, Evans, Evra, Silvestre, F Da Silva, Carrick, Scholes, Fletcher, Gibson, Possebon, Giggs, Martin, Tevez, Rooney, Campbell.

Newcastle: Given, Beye, N'Zogbia, Taylor, Coloccini, Enrique, Cacapa, Bassong, Edgar, Butt, Geremi, Milner, Duff, Guthrie, Gutierrez, Martins, Smith, Edgar, Harper.