SIR BOBBY ROBSON is ready to gamble on the fitness of Kieron Dyer in a last-ditch bid to rekindle Newcastle's flickering Champions League flame.

It was feared the England midfielder would be out for the rest of the season after tearing a hamstring in the goalless draw at Aston Villa last month.

But Robson yesterday revealed that Dyer is "desperate'' to face Southampton tonight at St. Mary's, where he scored twice in the Magpies' 3-0 FA Cup third-round victory in January.

Any setback, on the ground where he suffered the knee injury which almost wrecked his World Cup hopes two years ago, would destroy Dyer's chances of making England's Euro 2004 squad.

But Dyer is prepared to put club before country as Newcastle attempt to defy the odds and end their season on a high.

Robson's side know they need to beat the Saints and Liverpool at Anfield on Saturday to grab fourth place in the Premiership and qualify for the Champions League.

It is a tall order to say the least and even a UEFA Cup place is yet to be secured, with Aston Villa currently two points ahead in fifth spot.

But Dyer is only likely to figure tonight if he is fit to start. Robson said: "If we decide to play him, we'll put him in and see how long he lasts.

"We've had a look at him and I've had a long talk with him. I have to judge whether I use him, but he is desperate to put himself forward. It would be a gamble if he played, but he's done a lot in training and he's extended the hamstring.

"He's ahead of Craig Bellamy in terms of his recovery. They've both had a grade two tear, but Kieron's wasn't as large as Craig's.

"Kieron played very well at Southampton this season - it was one of his best games for this club.''

Robson is also still refusing to discount a return for striker Bellamy in time for the Liverpool game. "We won't make a decision on Craig until Thursday,'' said Robson, "but he's not automatically ruled out.''

Newcastle may have been successful at Southampton this season in the cup, but they haven't won a League game there for 32 years.

Robson, however, who admitted this season had been the most testing of his near-five-year reign, said: "History has to be changed and records have to be broken.''

Newcastle began the campaign with elimination from the Champions League, and Robson added: "It's been my toughest season here. We finished 11th, 11th, fourth then third, and this time we've battled away between fourth, fifth and sixth after - at one stage - being right down at the bottom after a pretty dismal start.

"But it can't have been such a disastrous season when we have two games to go and we're in with a shout of finishing fourth - and only ourselves and Liverpool are in that position.''

Meanwhile, French winger Laurent Robert and Portuguese midfielder Hugo Viana, who both came under fire from fans in Sunday's 1-1 home draw with Wolves, have revealed in interviews in their respective homelands that they would favour a move from Tyneside.

And Robert insists that Marseille, Newcastle's UEFA Cup conquerors, have trained their sights on him.

He said: "Marseille want to sign me. Jose Anigo is keen and my agent, Pape Diouf, would be delighted.

"I'm attracted by the Marseille challenge. However, they will have difficulty matching my wages. I would be happy to reduce my wages, but only by a little.

"I am fine at Newcastle and I still have two years to run on my contract.

"But the door is still open and Marseille know what to do. I would like to go back to Paris St. Germain, too. I spent two great years there.''

Viana said: "Leaving Newcastle would be news I would receive with open arms. The first year was very good while the coach relied on me.

"But then he stopped using me and I don't know why. So if they want to sell me, I would respect that decision. If I left Newcastle I would go to any club which would be happy to have me. I have no preference, even in Portugal.''

l Southampton manager Paul Sturrock has challenged his players to win their last two Barclaycard Premiership matches so he can use the extra prize money to replace some of them, writes ALISTAIR GRANT.

Sturrock is committed to improving his squad this summer after ten weeks of examining the strengths and weaknesses of the squad he inherited from Gordon Strachan.

Sturrock said: ''We can climb three places if we win two games so there's a lot of money involved.

''The more money that comes into the transfer kitty the better.

"I came in at the right time and I am starting to build up a clear picture of positions we need to improve and players we need to lose."

Chairman Rupert Lowe has told Sturrock that, with each place in the table worth around £500,000, the higher Saints finish the more money he can spend.

Speaking about tonight's game Sturrock said: ''Newcastle gave us a tough time in the FA Cup here in January. They were a much better side than Southampton that day and if they play like that again it will be very difficult."

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