NOLBERTO SOLANO handed Newcastle United boss Bobby Robson an eve-of-derby boost by pledging his loyalty to the club.

Peruvian Solano is eager to line up against Middlesbrough at the Riverside Stadium this afternoon after kicking his international career into touch.

Solano has made his peace with Robson and put an end to the long-running club v country dispute that threatened to wreck the winger's future on Tyneside.

Robson was furious after 26-year-old Solano, rewarded with a new five-year contract this summer, promised to quit international football - then flew off to play in his country's World Cup qualifiers.

But yesterday the United boss confirmed: "We have shaken hands on it.

"To be fair, he was under pressure from his national coach (Julio Cesar Uribe) to play in the World Cup, but now Peru's hopes of qualifying are over and he shouldn't be involved again until the Copa America in 2003.

"My frustration was that he never seemed to perform well before going off on international duty and always missed our match immediately afterwards.

"There's a nine-hour time difference and the travel is enormously wearing. We lost him for two games every time Peru played.

"Now he has told the coach that he should look for a younger player to take his place and he has committed himself fully to Newcastle again.

"That has pleased me because we should really get the best out of him now and I'm looking for more consistency from him.

"I dream of fielding a frontline of Solano, Laurent Robert, Alan Shearer and Carl Cort and when we get those players together we'll really be flying."

Only £10m French winger Robert is sure of facing Boro as United look to extend an unbeaten top-flight run on Teesside stretching back 24 years.

Injury-hit striker Cort won't play for at least ten weeks, while Robson has yet to make up his mind whether Shearer and Solano start the game.

Solano emerged unscathed from Peru's 2-0 midweek defeat by Uruguay, and skipper Shearer is also desperate to play and make his first start for six months after undergoing knee surgery.

Robson is backing the 31-year-old striker to once again top the goalscoring chart. "There is no reason why Alan can't recapture the sort of form that saw him score 30 in a season and reach a landmark 300 goals,'' declared Robson.

"He has at least three more years at the top, I'm convinced of that.

"But he will need a month of matches before he gets back to the Alan Shearer we know. He's ready to play at Middlesbrough and he could start the game, but I'm not saying he definitely will."

Boro boss Steve McClaren has launched his managerial career with three defeats, but Robson believes the former Manchester United No 2 will come good.

Robson said: "I know Middlesbrough has been a happy hunting ground for us in the past, but if we lose this one we'll only have two points from nine and that wouldn't be too clever.

"Our performance there last season, when we won 3-1, was as good as any away from home. They are desperate to get points on the board, but so are we.

"I will be wishing Steve McClaren all the best - but only after this game is over. He has it in him to be a successful, high-profile manager. I think Boro have missed a key player in Alen Boksic, just as we have missed Shearer, and it takes time to cement new players into a team pattern.

"But Steve's a fine lad and a fine coach, and he will get it right."

*Robson yesterday laid out the welcome mat for England to return to St James' Park following the fabulous reception David Beckham and Co. received on Wednesday night against Albania.

Former England boss Robson still wants a national stadium and insisted: "We need our own battleground."

But after the success of taking England to the provinces, he added: "I'm sure the England players would love to come back here at some stage and get the same sort of reception. What a place this is to play football."

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