CRAIG BELLAMY has claimed Kieron Dyer is a better player than Manchester United's Ryan Giggs and warned Newcastle that Europe's big guns will soon be training their sights on the England starlet.

Dyer scored his first goal of the season to give Newcastle the lead as they came from behind to triumph over Leeds for the second time in three weeks.

The Magpies have marvelled at the way Dyer has returned to form and fitness after nearly ten months on the sidelines with a serious shin problem.

England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson was at St. James' Park on Saturday to see Dyer start his seventh game in under a month and underline his World Cup credentials.

Dyer and Bellamy made goals for each other to kill off a Leeds side dogged by indiscipline.

Wales striker Bellamy, a £6m signing from Coventry last summer, may have only recently forged an on-field understanding with Dyer.

But he has already seen enough to be convinced his club colleague has the edge on international teammate Giggs.

"Kieron Dyer is the best player I have played with,'' declared Bellamy.

"I've played alongside Ryan Giggs and others, and Kieron I think gives more.

"He has made such a massive difference for us since he came back into the side.''

Dyer and Bellamy were two of four Newcastle players banished from the club's trip to Spain's Costa del Sol in November for failing to attend a dinner in honour of president and former chairman Sir John Hall.

But the pair have put that misdemeanour behind them to play vital roles in the Geordies' resurgence.

Bellamy said: "People wrote Kieron off when he was injured and he had criticism two months ago when we were in Marbella.

"But he'll definitely be going to the World Cup, and he'll be fantastic. He's right up there in the company of world-class players.

"He's only 23 and hopefully he will stay at Newcastle.

"But clubs like Real Madrid and all the top Italian sides are going to be sniffing.

"Hopefully Kieron will have an impact on the World Cup - he's on a par with the world greats.

"He was awesome against Leeds.

"A lot of clubs will want him, but he knows we're trying to go places here at Newcastle.

"We're an attacking side and we score goals, but we know that Arsenal and Manchester United have better squads. What would happen to us if Alan Shearer got injured?''

Leeds right-back Danny Mills was sent off for violent conduct when he senselessly kicked Bellamy to the ground.

The England international faces a four-match ban and Bellamy said: "It was silly of Danny. I know him because I played with him at Norwich.

"He cleared the ball and then followed through with a kick. I'm not going to go down to get anyone sent off, and he did it right in front of the referee.''

Bookings for Nikos Dabizas and Laurent Robert will rule them out of the FA Cup fourth-round tie away to Darlington or Peterborough.

* Leeds will be fined £25,000 by the FA as the statutory punishment for having six or more players booked in a game.

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