ALAN SHEARER last night branded Thomas Gravesen a coward for trying to end Olivier Bernard's career as Sir Bobby Robson confessed Newcastle United's title dreams had been "killed off" by Everton.

Shearer, 32, was fuming with Gravesen after the midfielder's X-rated lunge at Bernard that caught the defender on his thigh went unpunished.

Gravesen had already been booked for a foul on Laurent Robert, and Newcastle striker Shearer launched a scathing attack on the Denmark international.

He said: "It was a scandalous challenge by Gravesen. It was a challenge that can finish a footballer's career, and the players on the pitch could see what he was trying to do.

"Olivier went to win the ball, and he did; Gravesen went in to hurt him, and he hurt him badly.

"I don't know how he didn't get a straight red card, or how we didn't get a free-kick for it."

Robson was almost equally critical of Gravesen and said: "I thought he'd broken his leg because he hit him mid-thigh.

"It was almost worthy of a red card; it was certainly a yellow card tackle, and then he would have been sent off.

"It was a poor non-decision by the referee and it cost us the match. We were unlucky twice: it should have been a free-kick; and the referee didn't stop play to allow Olivier to be treated.

"It was a simple decision for the referee to give - Gravesen went in high and late, and he caught him - but the referee didn't give it. It was outrageous."

David Moyes apologised to Robson for his team's failure to kick the ball out of play as Bernard was being tended to and as David Unsworth waited to take the penalty that was awarded less than 30 seconds after Gravesen's tackle.

The Newcastle manager said: "That was nice of David, but under the same circumstances I'm not sure if our players wouldn't have played on."

Robson conceded Newcastle's belated attempt to wrestle the title away from Arsenal and Manchester United was over following their loss at Goodison.

He said: "It would have been a massive victory; instead, it was a massive defeat, and I think it's killed off our chances.

"We knew we had to hover around if Arsenal or Manchester United slipped up, but realistically it kills any hopes we had of nicking it.

"Chelsea have picked up three points on us this weekend, we're now fighting to finish in third place."

Robson added: "We were fighting to take a point at the end and their keeper made two good saves. If Titus Bramble's header had been a yard either side of him, it would have gone in.

"They worked exceptionally hard but I thought there was nothing between the sides. In my opinion, we didn't deserve to lose overall, and we got a rough deal with the free-kick that wasn't given."

Everton boss Moyes said: ''I did say we were sorry, we were trying to get instructions out from the line to stop the play but in the noise of Goodison Park the lads didn't hear.

''It had been a free-kick and the referee hadn't given it. But it must be understood that we had to get past a lot of players from a long way out to even get the penalty.

"In the end you keep playing when you are attacking and keep playing when you are defending and our lads did the right thing to keep going

"I did apologise to Bobby, but that's football, we've had a few rough decisions against us this season.''

Robson also praised Rooney's contribution in his first match back after his first start for his country.

Robson said: ''He's going to be a fantastic player, we curtailed him for a while but he got a good goal, he reacted first, and did a few more fine things out there."

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