Shearer hoping for some Oz wizardry

Alan Shearer is hoping Mark Viduka’s return to fitness will help to re-ignite his goal-shy team.

The Magpies head into Monday night’s must-win clash with Portsmouth at St James’ Park having scored just four times in their past eight Barclays Premier League games, a sequence of fixtures which has yielded only three points from a possible 24.

They have not scored more than once in a single game since their last win, a 3-2 victory at West Brom on February 7, and Shearer knows that with clean sheets at a premium – they have collected just one in their past 16 league outings - that is a situation which will have to change if they are to rescue their season.

Viduka has managed only seven appearances all season because of a troublesome Achilles injury, and is yet to find the back of the net.

But he showed enough during his 29-minute cameo as a substitute in the 1-0 defeat at Tottenham last Sunday to suggest he could have a major role to play during the remaining five fixtures of the campaign.

Asked what the 33-year-old Australia international gives to the team, Shearer said: “Hold-up play.

“When the ball goes into him, more often than not, it will stick.

“That will give our players a chance to get up and support and make runs off him, knowing the ball will stick with him.”