GRAEME Souness has urged his Newcastle players to show the same belligerence that got him banished to the stands as they look to get their season back on track against Chelsea tonight.

The United boss was formally charged with improper conduct yesterday after he reacted angrily to referee Howard Webb's decision to deny Alan Shearer a penalty in last weekend's 4-1 home humiliation at the hands of Fulham.

But, rather than meekly apologising for his actions, a still seething Souness has told his players to channel their frustrations into ensuring they are not left even more unhappy at the end of this evening's Carling Cup fourth-round tie.

The Newcastle manager is desperate to see his side atone for Sunday's setback and, with the Premiership leaders rolling into town tonight, is urging them to stand up to be counted.

"I would like to think my players still feel as frustrated and angry as I do," said the Scot, who is the most successful individual in League Cup history after winning the trophy four times as a player and once as a manager.

"That's the feeling I still have at the moment - I'm frustrated and angry. I want to have a fight with someone, and I want to go out and kick a water bottle or something like that.

"I'm no doubt going to get marched off to the tower and the keys thrown away (because of the FA charge).

"But we find out about people and players when our backs are against the wall. Football mirrors life in that respect, and we're coming to a very testing time."

Newcastle have made the last eight of the League Cup only three times in the last ten years, never progressing to the semi-finals. But while Chelsea will rest some of their biggest stars this evening, the home side will be doing everything possible to progress in the competition.

It is now more than 35 years since the Magpies last won a major trophy - a fact not lost on Shearer as he nears the end of his playing career.

The United skipper is still due to retire at the end of the season and, with the Premiership title seemingly out of the question, the Carling Cup offers his best chance of signing off in style.

"Without being too pessimistic, I don't think we'll win the league from the position we're in at the moment," admitted Shearer, who has not started a League Cup game since the last time Newcastle crossed swords with Chelsea in the competition almost three years ago.

"More realistically, I think we have this, the FA Cup and the UEFA Cup. Whether we can win all three of them remains to be seen, but I think there's definitely a chance for us to win one with the team we have.

"I know that everyone is thinking that way. We all know what the FA Cup means to the people up here, but I think even they're in a position now to say that we'd accept any piece of silverware.

"I'm no different, but it's not about me - it's about us as a team winning a trophy, and I think we've got the quality here to do that."

Souness faces some tough decisions this evening after United were repeatedly ripped apart in the second half of Sunday's debacle.

Newcastle's plight was underlined by the sight of Jermaine Jenas struggling to adapt to his role in a three-man defence.

While the England international insists he is happy to play anywhere for the team, his absence from the central midfield positions is robbing Souness' side of some of their creative spark.

Jenas is likely to be restored to a central role this evening - probably at the expense of the increasingly ineffectual Lee Bowyer - while Laurent Robert is in line for a starting berth after receiving a rapturous reception when introduced as a second-half substitute against Fulham.

"Jermaine moving inside is a possibility," admitted Souness, who will also have goalkeeper Shay Given available after his wife gave birth on Sunday.

"He's a young lad who's learning the game and we know what his best position is, although it'll be some years until he actually plays there.

"He'll eventually be a central holding midfield player. He'll be an orchestrator, but he's got so much enthusiasm at the moment I don't think that position would be doing justice to him.

"I think if you ask any striker, they'll tell you that they want Laurent in the team, because he'll supply the ammunition for you.

"But then if you ask any defender in the team, you might get a different answer.

"That's to be brutally honest about the situation, although he is one enormous talent and, when you're bossing games, you want him on the pitch."

Kieron Dyer has been named in the squad after enjoying a 70-minute run-out for the reserves on Monday night.

While the midfielder is unlikely to start as he continues to build up his fitness following hamstring surgery, he is keen to draw a line under the last three months.

Dyer was booed on to St James' Park while representing England in August following his refusal to play on the right of midfield during Newcastle's opening-day visit to Middlesbrough, but the 25-year-old insists he remains hell-bent on proving his critics wrong.

"There has been some recent criticism about me in the press and that has hurt," he said. "I am fully committed to the football club and want to show the manager and fans that is the case.

"I'm really hopeful that, this time, the specialists have got to the root of the problem and the leg is completely free of any weaknesses. Certainly this is the most confident I've felt about the muscle in a long time."

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