KIERON DYER has tipped midfield sidekick Jermaine Jenas as a future England captain.

The pair were labelled "absolutely outstanding'' by Newcastle manager Sir Bobby Robson after Saturday's 2-0 home win over Kevin Keegan's Manchester City.

Robson, who paid Nottingham Forest £5m for Jenas almost a year ago, even spoke of the 19-year-old prodigy in the same breath as the likes of Paul Gascoigne and Duncan Edwards.

Jenas has teamed up with England midfielder Dyer in Newcastle's engine room in the absence of hernia victim Gary Speed.

A measure of Jenas's impact is the fact that the Magpies are unbeaten in three Premiership games, winning twice, since the hugely influential Speed was sidelined.

Dyer said: "JJ was magnificent on Saturday. He has an old head on young shoulders; it was a mature performance.

"He has everything. He can run, tackle and has a great spring in the air - the whole package.

"If he keeps listening and progressing he's not just going to be an England player, but a future England captain. He's brilliant.

"When I was 19 everyone was saying how great I was, but I wasn't as good as he is now.

"He's taking bits of my game, like running forward all the time. We've played in central midfield together ten times now and never lost.''

Robson said: "Jenas is a wonderful boy. We were buying character as well as quality. He wasn't cheap - it would have been a lot of money for a kid who didn't come through.

"He's just realising the potential I saw in him. He's given a very adult performance.''

Newcastle, now in third spot, will be only two points behind second-placed Manchester United if they win their game in hand against relegation-threatened Bolton at St. James' Park on Wednesday night.

Old Trafford boss Sir Alex Ferguson believes Robson's side are dark horses for the title.

But Dyer reckons he is playing mind games in a bid to crank up the pressure on the Geordies.

Dyer said: "Alex Ferguson says that if Chelsea are title rivals, then Newcastle should be considered too. Hopefully we can prove him right and be there right to the end.

"It could be psychology on his part, putting pressure on us. Will it work? You saw the performance on Saturday.

"We'll just go about our business. You never usually hear Newcastle being mentioned for the title; it's Arsenal, Man. United Chelsea or even Liverpool.

"But we should stay in the top four now. We have a strong squad. I'm finding my top form, Craig Bellamy is on fire now, Laurent Robert is showing signs, and Nolberto Solano was brilliant in this game. We're starting to show great promise, and this was all without Gary Speed and Hugo Viana.

"Gary is massive for us, but we have not lost a League game since he has been missing.

"We just need to start picking up more points away.''

Dyer predicts Newcastle will be on the trophy trail for the next decade if they keep their fledgling stars together - and add a few more.

"We haven't surpassed what Newcastle did when Kevin Keegan was here,'' Dyer. "After all, they had the title in their hands.

"Last season it would have been interesting if Craig Bellamy hadn't been injured, but we are such a young team and hopefully we will stay together.

"That gaffer and the chairman want to get the best young players in the country. If we carry on like this, keep maturing and progressing, we'll be challenging for honours for a decade.''

French winger Robert, at the centre of controversy last week over comments attributed to him in a Sunday tabloid which claimed he had rubbished his teammates, set up Bellamy's goal against City, and Dyer said: "The way Laurent responded showed the lad is up for it.

"He is part of the team and we all love him, even if he can be as frustrating as hell.

"But when he's on song, he creates numerous chances for the rest of us."

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