"THERE'S no place in the modern game for wingers," said Newcastle manager Graeme Souness last month.

Perhaps the irony wasn't lost on Souness or the United fans for that matter as he watched mercurial wideman Laurent Robert unleash a venomous free-kick of deadly accuracy past debutante goalkeeper Scott Carson 20 minutes from time.

No goalkeeper in the world would have stopped it.

It was ironic because the Magpies' boss more or less immediately contradicted himself on a local radio show, shortly after his initial statement, by admitting he tried to sign former fans' favourite - and right winger - Nolberto Solano during the January transfer window.

Souness' biggest criticism of Robert - and United fans for that matter - is his refusal to get involved with the defensive side of the game.

A fair comment of course, but it also makes the move for Solano even more perplexing when you consider the Peruvian did little of that during his six-and-a-half year stay on Tyneside.

Souness also reckoned a club couldn't win anything in the modern game with wingers, yet Robert's 70th minute match winner at St James' Park on Saturday provided his side with their fifth successive victory.

His opinion seems to have subsided slightly, however, and it appears his initial reservations about the Reunion Islander being a luxury item they can ill afford, has changed.

It is not by chance Newcastle's recent run of wins has coincided with the manager's decision to include Robert in his line up.

The UEFA Cup tie in Holland against Heerenveen last month changed significantly once the former Paris Saint Germain winger was introduced as a substitute.

He also provided assists in the return leg and in the FA Cup triumph over Chelsea, before Saturday's audacious winner.

Souness even admitted after the Liverpool game that his winger is as good as any player in the world from set plays - Real Madrid's David Beckham and Zinedine Zidane included. High praise indeed.

Against the Merseysiders, however, it was clearly evident there has been a compromise between the pair and Robert has finally bowed to his manager's insistence he gets involved in the ugly side of the game.

"It was a very special goal," said the 51-year-old Scot.

"Laurent on three or four occasions has struck wonderful free-kicks. If any of them were on target I think the young goalie (Scott Carson, 19) would have found it difficult to keep them out as well.

"He's had an excellent game. We'll talk about the goal and quite rightly so, but I thought he contributed in every other way. I'm very happy with him at the moment.

"We have a love/hate relationship. I love him and he loves me and then we want to bash each other up, and long may it continue should he score goals like that.

"I think that is the first game where I can't criticise Laurent Robert for any part of his game."

Saturday's result represented a first triumph over his former side as a club manager - in his 13th attempt - and the Newcastle boss felt they "thoroughly deserved it" against a toothless visiting Liverpool attack, which failed to register a single shot on target.

He said: "I think for the first 20 minutes of the game Liverpool were better than us and they were sharper to everything.

"But after that, the remaining hour and a bit, I think we bossed it especially in the second half.

"We upped the tempo, we were on the front foot and we were winning the bits in the middle of the park.

"That kept us on the front foot and I think we thoroughly deserved it."

Souness, in recent weeks, has lamented his side's inability to grind out 1-0 wins.

Since a single goal UEFA Cup victory against Panionios in October - in his seventh match in charge - he finally got his wish again, 30 games later.

And aside from a short spell directly after Robert's goal when the St James' Park faithful urged the Magpies on to increase their lead, the players finally looked as if they had learned how to kill a game off.

"When we scored the goal I don't think we were under any pressure; other than that chance Steven Gerrard had in stoppage time," he commented.

"I thought we played it right after the goal. I said that we didn't need to chase the game to young JJ (Jermaine Jenas) when he went on.

"I said just play in there with Amdy Faye, and when we took Kieron Dyer off that was the same message for Nicky Butt who knows that position."

If Robert was the catalyst for Newcastle's fifth consecutive victory - and eighth unbeaten - then the form of Titus Bramble and Jean-Alain Boumsong have provided the foundations.

Boumsong had his best game for the club since his move from Glasgow Rangers in January and, in Bramble, the turnaround in form has been nothing short of miraculous - although under-strength Liverpool hardly provided the impressive pair with a test.

Manager Rafael Benitez employed Milan Baros at the top of a negative diamond formation. And as a whole they were largely disappointing.

Souness, however, hailed his new defensive pairing, who have now conceded only three goals in six games since they came together as a partnership.

"I don't think it is a coincidence that Titus is now playing the way he is playing since we have signed Jean-Alain Boumsong," admitted Souness.

"I think we have found a partner for him that will coax him, growl at him and keep him fully concentrated.

"He was a nine-and-a-half out of ten on Saturday because up until the last two minutes of the game when (Luis) Garcia turned him and he slipped, I think he was faultless both in his passing, his heading, his tackling and his reading of the game."

The Newcastle manager also has some special words of praise for his £8m new signing.

He added: "I think his athleticism is very obvious. I think he is comfortable on the ball to play at this level and his reading of the game is excellent.

"Once he gets to grips with the English game he'll be an outstanding performer. He is now playing at a level - without being critical of the French league or the Scottish league - that is more demanding.

"The best is still to come from him and you can say the same about Titus, and it is exciting for us."

A satisfied Souness rounded off a second successful week at Newcastle knowing the beginning of the next one will be just as demanding and will determine their fate this season.

The United squad fly to Athens tomorrow afternoon ahead of their last 16 UEFA Cup tie against Greek side Olympiakos, before another mammoth FA Cup clash at St James' Park against Tottenham on Sunday.

If the Magpies are to avoid having their wings' clipped then the flying Frenchman will no doubt play a big part.

Result: Newcastle United 1 Liverpool 0.

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