GRAEME SOUNESS and Kevin Keegan last week hailed Alan Shearer as the greatest centre forward England has ever had. When former players of world-class standing in the game make such sweeping statements you usually sit up and listen.

The Newcastle skipper scored his 250th Premiership goal against Manchester City last Wednesday, 77 more than his nearest current rival, former Magpie Andy Cole.

When you consider Shearer missed nearly two seasons through serious injury and Cole spent several seasons at the Premiership's most successful club, Manchester United, it makes the feat even more remarkable.

Shearer did not add to his tally against Charlton on Saturday but his presence on the pitch, as always, was omnipotent.

United's veteran striker stamped his authority on the proceedings as early as the first minute when he rose to flick on Titus Bramble's long ball. Moments later he peeled off his man as Amdy Faye fed him down the inside right channel and his hard low drive had Addicks' goalkeeper Dean Kiely scrambling across his goal.

Shearer may have been robbed of his explosive pace by two career-threatening injuries but his heading ability has never been hampered in his fruitful professional life, as he revealed when ramming Faye's cross down Kiely's throat after ten minutes.

Two minutes later the former England striker swivelled neatly and fired just wide from Celestine Babayaro's cross.

To say Shearer is just a taker of goals would be disrespectful to his all-round ability, which was seen when he linked up with the fleet-footed Kieron Dyer.

The former Ipswich man slipped the ball down the channel for 34-year-old Shearer, who retained it just long enough before delivering it back stamped with goal written all over it.

Unfortunately, Dyer volleyed over from close range.

This pattern continued thoughout the first period. If Shearer wasn't scaring the life out of the Charlton back four with his awesome physical presence then he was back in his own 18-yard box hooking the ball clear.

If the United goal machine wasn't threatening to add to his 250 Premiership tally then he was assisting others to add to theirs - as he inevitably did with United's goal in the 52nd minute.

The Newcastle legend towered above, and brushed aside, the strong physical presence of Icelandic international Hermann Hreidarsson to head Titus Bramble's 40-yard ball across the visitors' six-yard box for Dyer to crash home from close range.

The goal should have provided a platform for the Magpies to go on and win comfortably.

As always, however, the scaffolding at the back wasn't strong enough to hold out, and it gave way to Dennis Rommedahl's speculative shot from 22 yards following Andy O'Brien's gaffe.

Unfortunately for the home fans their skipper couldn't conjure a winner and send them home happy with a win.

Had Chris Perry not bravely blocked his right-footed drive in front of goal five minutes from time, and a glancing header from Laurent Robert's free kick three minutes later not gone wide, it would have been all so different.

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