Club captain Callum Chick returns for Newcastle Falcons on Sunday when they make the Premiership Rugby Cup trip to Sale Sharks.

The Falcons have already secured safe passage through to the quarter-finals after taking bonus-point victories from all five of their pool games, but still need a minimum of one point from Sunday’s match to guarantee home advantage in the next round.

Chick (pictured) forms part of a Newcastle side showing four changes from the one which scored 11 tries during last weekend’s 72-13 win over Caldy.

Kiran McDonald replaces Sebastian de Chaves in the second row and Ben Stevenson comes onto the wing for Max Pepper – both players having departed the field last Sunday with ankle injuries.

Alex Hearle returns at centre while there could be a competitive debut for Cameron Neild, the former Sale back-rower who is named on the bench. Neild has been sidelined with a broken arm picked up in a pre-season friendly against his old club, and forms part of a replacement contingent which includes fit-again prop Richard Palframan.

Director of rugby Steve Diamond said: “The Cup competition is our only remaining chance of silverware this season, and it’s also a great means by which to generate momentum for our remaining games in the Gallagher Premiership.

“We’ve won all five games with bonus points so we couldn’t have done any better in that sense, but the job’s not done yet because it’s really important to secure home advantage for the knock-out rounds.

“Beating Sale at their place is never easy but we’ll go in with a strong side, and if we can get that home advantage for the quarter-finals it’ll be big for us.”

Diamond added: “Sale still need a result to qualify for the quarter-finals, and if they don’t go through then they’ll have a month without a game, which no club wants.

“They have got a big forward pack and a lot of squad depth, so even without their England stars they’ll have a very capable side on the field. Most of our available senior players will be included, and the only guys being rested are the one or two who are just coming back from injury, like Sammy Arnold, who should be back for the quarter-final.

“Max Pepper and Seb de Chaves both had scans on ankle injuries picked up last weekend, and it’s looking like three to four weeks out. Cam Neild is back this weekend after a long lay-off, and Tom Gordon hopefully won’t be too far away.”

Despite Newcastle scoring 22 tries in their last three games Diamond sees plenty of room for improvement, saying: “One thing we’ll need to sharpen up on from last weekend is our discipline, because we gave away some daft penalties and had three guys sent to the sin bin.

“That’ll be meat and drink to Sale because they’ll kick those penalties to the corner and get their maul going, so we can’t afford to infringe. We’ve made that clear to the players during the week, and I have to say our discipline this season has generally been very good. We average less than ten penalties per game, which is up there with the very best in the division, and prior to last weekend we hadn’t had many cards.

“What was really pleasing over the last fortnight was the way that some of the young lads stepped up. We scored a load of tries and a lot of the squad have put their hands up, which is really important when we’re in the middle of contract renewals. Lads like Joe Davis, Max Pepper, Nathan Greenwood and our young props have been outstanding, to name just a couple, and they’ve really shown their worth.”

Supporters are advised that Sunday’s game is not being televised.

Newcastle Falcons v Sale Sharks (Sunday, 3pm, Salford Community Stadium)

15 Elliott Obatoyinbo, 14 Nathan Greenwood, 13 Alex Hearle, 12 Max Clark, 11 Ben Stevenson, 10 Brett Connon, 9 Sam Stuart; 1 Adam Brocklebank, 2 Jamie Blamire, 3 Murray McCallum, 4 Philip van der Walt, 5 Kiran McDonald, 6 Freddie Lockwood, 7 Ollie Leatherbarrow, 8 Callum Chick (captain).

Replacements: 16 Ollie Fletcher, 17 Micky Rewcastle, 18 Richard Palframan, 19 John Hawkins, 20 Cameron Neild, 21 Joe Davis, 22 Kieran Wilkinson, 23 Oli Spencer.

Sale Sharks: 15 Ollie Davies, 14 Arron Reed, 13 Waisea Nayacalevu, 12 Sam Bedlow, 11 Alex Wills, 10 Tom Curtis (captain), 9 Nye Thomas; 1 Ross Harrison, 2 Tadgh McElroy, 3 Patreece Bell, 4 Ben Bamber, 5 Jonny Hill, 6 Jos Gilmore, 7 Sam Dugdale, 8 JL du Preez.

Replacements: 16 Alfie Longstaff, 17 Bevan Rodd, 18 Asher Opoku-Fordjour, 19 Hyron Andrews, 20 Dan du Preez, 21 Dom Hanson, 22 Will Addison, 23 Joe Carpenter.

Referee: Jack Makepeace.