Cole missed out on a call-up for next week's England friendly against Romania because of a shin-splints problem which has restricted his training. But he will turn out in the Newcastle attack this weekend.
Cole has outscored Shearer by seven goals to six in eight league appearances apiece this season but the Blackburn striker will relish the return to his native Newcastle.
Shearer made his comeback there at about this time last season, after months on the sidelines with a shattered knee, and scored in a 1-1 draw.
By the time the cheering starts at St. James's Park, where away support is severely restricted due to ground redevelopment, Nottingham Forest should have enjoyed a day as league leader.
Forest, two points behind Newcastle going into the weekend, takes on inconsistent Manchester City at Maine Road on Saturday.
Champion Manchester United should have its strongest team back on parade at Sheffield Wednesday whose traditionally slow start to the season has left it near the bottom of the table.
German First Division
German league leader Werder Bremen has a chance to cash in on its games in hand and take the initiative in the German league title race by playing two games in four days this week.
After Thursday's clash with local rival Hamburg, Werder, which leads three teams on goal difference, travels to face struggling 1860 Munich on Sunday.
If things go well -- bottom side 1860 have yet to win this season -- the former champion could come away from the weekend with a healthy lead over its rivals.
Bremen is level on points with Borussia Dortmund, reigning champion Bayern Munich and Kaiserslautern who are second, third and fourth respectively.
But the northerners went into Thursday's local derby with a game in hand over Dortmund and two games in hand over Bayern and Kaiserslautern who drew 1-1 on Wednesday.
Attention will also be focused on struggling Eintracht Frankfurt, which hosts Karlsruhe on Friday at the end of a turbulent week during which a player consulted his lawyer to avoid playing a match.
German World Cup squad member Maurizio Gaudino looks likely to be forced to leave the club after a bitter dispute with coach Jupp Heynckes.
Heynckes is in a rage over the way midfielder Gaudino had attempted to use his lawyer to avoid playing for the reserves Tuesday. Gaudino eventually played, nominally ending the dispute, but then gave a lackluster performance d uring the match.
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