KIERON Dyer has warned his Newcastle team-mates to beware a Lomana LuaLua backlash, after describing the Portsmouth striker as one of the best players he has ever played with.

LuaLua will be returning to St James' Park for the first time on Saturday since making a £1.7m move to Fratton Park in July.

The Congolese international flattered to deceive during his four years on Tyneside, scoring just nine goals in his 88 appearances in a black and white shirt.

He will be assured of a mixed reception from the home fans at the weekend after netting against the Magpies while on loan at Portsmouth last season, and refusing to return to Tyneside when United suffered an injury crisis ahead of their UEFA Cup semi-final with Marseille.

Dyer has witnessed LuaLua's skills at first hand and, while he remains in close contact with his former team-mate, he is hoping the maverick marksman does not make Newcastle suffer for a third time this weekend.

"A number of Newcastle players have gone on record saying the same thing," said the England international. "In terms of sheer footballing ability, LuaLua is up there with some of the best players I've ever played with.

"He's got so much ability and does things in training other players would never attempt to do.

"He just isn't advanced as far as his football brain is concerned and that's because he came into the game late and he hasn't benefited from the Academy system most of us have been through.

"People have got to remember he didn't start playing football until he was 16 and he hasn't had the coaching you'd expect a player to have had at that age.

"There was a bit of bad blood when he left Newcastle but we keep in touch and he seems to be doing okay down there. He'll be a danger to us this weekend if he's fit."

LuaLua, who is battling an ongoing groin strain in an attempt to be fit for Saturday, was charged with insulting and abusive behaviour this week after allegedly gesturing to Middlesbrough fans during Pompey's 1-1 draw at the Riverside in October.

The charge was the latest setback to hit Portsmouth, after manager Harry Redknapp stepped down two weeks ago, only to re-emerge at the helm of bitter rivals Southampton yesterday.

The south coast side still find themselves a point ahead of the Magpies though and, after crashing to a 4-0 defeat at Chelsea last weekend, Graeme Souness' side cannot afford another set-back on home soil.

"It's a game we cannot afford to lose," admitted Dyer. "It can't come soon enough because we want to get Saturday out of our system as soon as possible.

"It will be good to get back to St James' Park. The Newcastle supporters are bright fans - they can see that we're playing good football but we're just not putting the chances away.

"It's been the story of our season. Sooner or later someone is going to get a drubbing at our hands, and hopefully it will be Portsmouth on Saturday."

* Newcastle officials were last night unable to clear up the confusion surrounding Patrick Kluivert's contractual situation at the club.

The Dutch international was understood to have signed a three-year deal when he moved to Tyneside from Barcelona in August.

But reports yesterday suggested his current contract may actually expire at the end of the season, with both parties having the option of a further two-year extension.

A club spokesman said: "Under FA Premier League rules, the terms of a player's contract are confidential and, as such, we are not permitted to disclose those terms."

Kluivert faces a battle to hold on to his place this weekend with Alan Shearer likely to return from a thigh strain and in-form Craig Bellamy desperate to continue up front