Robson wants home win at fortress St James

Bobby Robson will send his side out against Feyenoord tomorrow night under orders to use the comforts of home to secure a Champions League foothold.

United launched their campaign in the Ukraine last week with a 2-0 defeat by Dynamo Kiev as Robson’s young guns found the going tough at the highest level.

However, the 69-year-old has seen enough European football during his time in the English, Dutch, Portuguese and Spanish games to know that a side which wins its home ties will always have a chance.

United ended a run of three successive defeats on Saturday with a 2-0 win over arch-rivals Sunderland, and although they rarely had to be at their best to see off Peter Reid’s misfiring side, that will have done them a power of good.

“We all try to win every game,” Robson said. “What people forget is that there are two teams playing.

“But we’ll do our best. We need to get points, obviously, and our best opportunity perhaps is at home, although we’re not afraid of the away situation.

“Feyenoord are a good team. I like the Dutch style of football, but we’ve got our own desires here.

“We had a good victory on Saturday. That was a great match for us and it came at a good time.

“I spoke after the game in the Ukraine about this, the next week, which we’re right in the middle of now, is very important for us, and not only important, but a great opportunity for us.

“We took the first step on Saturday, this is the next step, then we have another one on Saturday.

“We’re putting all our interest and our thoughts into this because we know what it means to us. Feyenoord won’t be an easy team, so it’s who does best.

“We haven’t got any points on the board. We had a difficult encounter in the Ukraine, but we have three games at home and we hope to make those three games pay.”

The Dutch side were Newcastle’s first ever European opponents in the Fairs Cup, the last trophy the Tynesiders lifted back in 1969, and they confirmed their own pedigree last season when they lifted the UEFA Cup with a 3-2 victory over Borussia Dortmund with goals from former Newcastle striker Jon Dahl Tomasson and a double from Pierre van Hooijdonk.

Van Hooijdonk was also on target with a three times taken free-kick as his side drew 1-1 with Juventus last week, and in the weekend’s 2-0 league win over De Graafschap, which left them sitting third in the table.

The controversial 32-year-old former Nottingham Forest striker could prove a major thorn in Newcastle’s side if they allow him any leeway from set pieces.

But Robson is confident that in keeper Shay Given and his defenders, he has the means to keep van Hooijdonk at bay, and that in the likes of Laurent Robert, Nolberto Solano and Alan Shearer, he has perhaps an even better stock dead ball armoury.

“We’re aware of van Hooijdonk’s ability at free-kicks,” he said. “We aim not to give any away in the first place, but that’s sometimes impossible.

“We’ll provide a good section of space to be covered and Shay will take the other section. It’s a danger to us, but it’s something that we’re not going to be extremely worried about.

“We’ll get on with it and hopefully deal with it successfully.”

Striker Craig Bellamy is expected to be fit after missing training today following his exertions in Kiev and against Sunderland, and Robson has no other injury worries.

The manager confirmed that the club will ask referee Mike Riley to reconsider his decision to book the Welshman for diving on Saturday, and it is understood that they have already been in touch with UEFA over their decision to launch an investigation into his alleged head-butt on Kiev defender Tiberiu Ghioane.

Feyenoord, who include Newcastle target Brett Emerton within their ranks, were due to train at St James’ Park this evening, although coach Bert van Marwijk has a major concern over defender Ramon van Haaren, who has a knee problem.