The United defender missed last Saturday's victory over Fulham at Craven Cottage with a hamstring injury but is not sure of his place against Derby after central defenders Claudio Cacapa and David Rozehnal helped Sam Allardyce's side to their first clean sheet since September 1.
Duff, Faye And Carr Ruled Out!
Allardyce has seen Michael Owen, Abdoulaye Faye, Stephen Carr and Damien Duff all fail to recover in time for Sunday's fixture, but he says all four could be available for selection on Boxing Day.
NEWCASTLE (from): Given, Beye, N'Zogbia, Rozehnal, Cacapa, Geremi, Butt, Barton, Miller, Smith Martins, Harper, Emre, Viduka, Edgar, Enrique.