Robson aims to focus players on the home front

Newcastle United manager Sir Bobby Robson is using the lure of more European football to focus his players' minds on their English premier league campaign.

After a sluggish start, Newcastle's domestic campaign is now gathering pace and Robson is demanding they plunder three more points from premier league newcomers West Bromwich Albion at St James Park on Saturday.

Newcastle's Champions League efforts have been fruitless so far and they are still without a Group E point after successive defeats by Dynamo Kiev, Feyenoord and Juventus.

Their hopes of progressing to the next phase of the prestigious competition are fading quickly and they may even fail to secure the third spot needed for qualification to this season's UEFA Cup.

"Our aim is that we must perfect the art of winning league matches and get up the league table," Robson said on Friday.

"We are half-way up the table at the moment but I realise that's not good enough for us even though it's only the start of October and we have a home game in hand on most teams.

"We enjoy playing in Europe and know that if we want to be in the same situation again next season, then we need to get into those top positions."

BELLAMY RETURNS

Welsh international striker Craig Bellamy will return to the Newcastle forward line after being rested when the Magpies beat Birmingham City last Saturday.

He also missed Tuesday's defeat by Juventus in Turin because of a three-match ban for head-butting a Dynamo Kiev player.

Newcastle will be without the services of midfielder Hugo Viana who picked up a groin injury in training.

West Bromwich Albion were tipped by most to return straight to the first division, but three 1-0 wins have lifted them away from the relegation zone and Robson, who played 239 times for the Hawthorns club from 1956-62 and scored 56 goals, is delighted for them.

"I'm glad they're back in the top flight," said Robson. "I had a great six-year spell at West Brom. I played alongside some fantastic players and won all my international honours there.

"It has taken them 16 years to get back into the top division. But it's where they deserve to be."

Robson has been in the game too long, however, to let his affections get in the way of business on Saturday.

"They had 16 or 17 1-0 victories last season so teams obviously find it difficult to score against them. But we are prepared for them," he said.