Magpies give timely title reminder

COMING just days after Manchester United boss Alex Ferguson insisted that Newcastle could not be counted out of the title race, Bobby Robson’s side’s 10th successive Premiership victory at St James’ Park against Manchester City served as a timely reminder that the Magpies may not win it, but will have a say in its final destination.

"Alex Ferguson came out and said if you're saying Chelsea are in the championship race, then you cannot forget Newcastle, and I think that's fair comment," said midfielder Kieron Dyer said.

"And you've got to remember that we're doing this without two international midfielders in Gary Speed and Hugo Viana. I don't think we've lost a single league game since Gary has been out."

Dyer, meanwhile, is tipping teenage star Jermaine Jenas to captain England one day after making his mark in the Premiership.

The former Nottingham Forest player, who celebrates his 20th birthday next month on the day United manager Bobby Robson turns 70, has shown maturity beyond his years to make light of Speed's absence through injury.

Jenas was a tower of strength in the Magpies' engine room as Alan Shearer and Craig Bellamy fired their side to victory.

And Dyer, the man who played alongside him, is convinced there is much, much more to come from a youngster he believes can go all the way to the top. "He was magnificent," he said. "He's got an old head on young shoulders, and that was an extremely mature performance.

"He can run and sprint and tackle. He's also got a great spring in fact, he's got the whole package.

"He's not just going to be an England player, he'll be an England captain."

Jenas, Dyer and their team-mates quietly eased themselves into third-place as they took full advantage of Chelsea's reverse at United.

They could hardly have got off to a better start when Shearer charged down Carlo Nash's clearance with just 10.5 seconds gone to claim his 17th goal of the season, his 14th in the league.

Ali Benarbia was unfortunate not to equalise with a 24th-minute shot which came back off the post , but had it not been for Nash, the rampant Magpies would certainly have had more than Bellamy's 64th-minute second to show for another thrilling attacking display.