ROBBIE ELLIOTT has warned new team-mate Ronny Johnsen he has a fight on his hands if he wants a place in the Newcastle United back four.

The former Manchester United and Norway defender successfully came through an hour in the reserves' 0-0 draw against Liverpool at Kingston Park last night.

Johnsen will be bidding to make his bow for the Magpies at Charlton a week on Sunday but Elliott is confident he can hang on to his first-team place - despite the Magpies' defence leaking two poor goals at St Andrew's on Sunday.

"I've been out for too long to worry about the competition around the corner," said the 30-year-old. "At the moment the central defensive shirt is mine and I'm going to hold onto it for as long as I can."

Last weekend's hard-earned draw means United are now unbeaten in six games heading into the international break.

Elliott hailed Newcastle's new found resilience on their travels and says there is even more to come once the players adjust to the manager's new training regime.

"We can be sharper and play better as a team but there's no instant fix even with a new manager," he said.

"Training's been squeezed into the time we've had between fixtures and it's been a hectic period for the gaffer.

"We've kept our fitness up and in the next few weeks and months I'm sure we'll start to reflect the manager's game plan.

"The more points we pick up away from home the better and we are starting to look more solid on our travels.

"The manager keeps telling us how Blackburn managed to win eight times away from home last season and he wants to know why, with our squad, we had such a poor record.

"We know we could have pinched the Birmingham game but it's a game we might have lost 12 months ago but we stood firm at the end."

Meanwhile, Craig Bellamy blamed a hostile crowd for costing Newcastle a penalty at Birmingham when Kenny Cunningham sent him tumbling in the box.

He said: "It was a hard one for the referee and if the linesman gives it he's going to get a lot of stick from the crowd on that side.

"You need a lot of character if you're going to give it and a lot of them don't have it so you don't get a lot of those decisions."

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