SIR BOBBY ROBSON vowed last night that Newcastle United would not be scared of Internazionale after his club had taken another step towards performing a Champions League miracle.

Newcastle trail Inter by one point with two Group A fixtures to come - beginning with the Magpies' visit to the San Siro on March 11.

Craig Bellamy will be back for that game to partner Alan Shearer, whose hat-trick inside the first 36 minutes yesterday destroyed a hapless Bayer Leverkusen side.

And after Inter and Barcelona had drawn 0-0, Robson said: "We've given ourselves a great chance and we won't be afraid in Milan.

"We'll go to Milan with a lot of confidence, and we'll be optimistic that we can do well there.

"A better result for us would have been a Barcelona win, but we know we'll qualify for the quarter-finals if we beat Inter Milan and Barcelona.

"There's no reason why we should fall away. I know we have some League games coming up, but so do Inter Milan and Barcelona."

Newcastle's hopes of reaching the last eight were boosted by Leverkusen coach Thomas Hoerster's declaration that he will field his strongest side against Barcelona and Inter. Last season's runners-up cannot qualify for the quarter-finals after last night's loss, but Hoerster said: "I'll pick the best team possible in the next two games."

Shearer, back yesterday after a two-match Champions League ban, is relishing the prospect of a crunch encounter with Inter in Italy as Newcastle look for another miraculous European recovery following their first stage fightback.

He said: "We were determined to give ourselves a chance of qualifying when we go to Milan and that's what we've done.

"We've got two victories against Leverkusen and we certainly won't give it up. We needed that win to keep alive our hopes of staying in the competition, and it was a good night for us." Robson was angry his side became "complacent" after they stormed into a 2-0 lead inside 11 minutes.

He said: "We had a bright beginning and then complacency hit us. We stopped working because we thought we'd done enough."

The only dark cloud on Newcastle's dazzling vista last night was the possible return of Kieron Dyer's ongoing shin problem.

Dyer, who has suffered from shin splints in the past, was substituted last night after 70 minutes.

Robson said: "Kieron Dyer has a shin problem that's slightly appearing. He hasn't trained since Saturday and he complained at half-time that they were a bit sore.

"It's a slight worry and I can't rest him at the moment, but hopefully he won't have to play Saturday-Wednesday-Saturday when Jermaine Jenas is fit again."

Read more about Newcastle United FC here.