TITUS BRAMBLE has paid tribute to Newcastle United boss Sir Bobby Robson for helping him through the most difficult season of his career.

The 22-year-old will be asked to fill in for the injured Jonathan Woodgate against Manchester City this afternoon as the Magpies bid to reclaim the fourth Champions League spot from Liverpool.

Bramble has played a large part in Newcastle's campaign despite having to endure the turmoil of facing an alleged rape claim last year.

The powerful centre-back - along with Charlton's Carlton Cole - learned in January that he would not face charges over the alleged attack at the Grosvenor House Hotel on a 17-year-old girl.

Robson stood by his player during that time after holding talks with him on a number of occasions and Bramble admitted last night: "I think what happened to me earlier this season has made me a stronger individual.

"If you start worrying about things on the pitch and let it get inside your head it is no good for the team.

"You have to stay strong and stay focused and not give anyone anything to write about.

"That's one of Bobby Robson's strengths. He is a great manager. He sat down with me lots of times and he was very supportive towards me. That's when you need support from your manager. That is one of his main strengths as a manager. He is great with the players and he helps you a lot.

"It was a difficult time but you have to put it to the back of your mind and let your football do the talking. You have to just do it on the pitch and try to forget about everything else."

With Woodgate ruled out for the rest of the season with a thigh injury sustained during last weekend's win over Chelsea, Bramble is in line to start his first game since April 14 today.

It is not the first time, in fact Woodgate has missed a large part of the campaign with a series of problems, that Newcastle have had to cope without the former Leeds United star.

But Bramble, well aware of the England defender's outstanding talents, is convinced that the squad is more than capable of keeping the Magpies on track at the City of Manchester Stadium.

"Any time you lose someone like Jonathan Woodgate it is going to be a major loss because he is such a good player but it has happened before," said Bramble.

"I have learnt a lot playing alongside Woody. You can only benefit from playing alongside someone like Woody because he is such a top player. I hope he does recover for England because he has been very unfortunate with injuries and a player like him deserves to be in the England set-up.

"He has been injured before but myself and Andy O'Brien have done OK beforehand and we will want to do the same again.

"It does help that myself and Andy have played a lot together already this season because, if we hadn't, I don't think it would be beneficial to the team to put us together for the first time right now.

"We know each other's game and we have been playing together all season so it shouldn't be a problem. When we lose Andy for two games through suspension your guess is as good as mine as to who will play. We have Steven Taylor who is one for the future and Aaron Hughes has played centre half so we have a few options."

With O'Brien missing for two up-coming Premiership games and Woodgate out injured, Robson knows a lot rests on the shoulders of Bramble.

"I have spoken to Titus about holding things up for us," said the Newcastle manager. "He has to be right in everything he does in training and everything on the pitch.

"He is the main centre-half at this club now. If he or Aaron gets injured it will be a very sad situation."

Newcastle head to Manchester unbeaten in seven games and looking for a repeat of the display that secured three points at home to Chelsea last weekend.

However City, managed by ex-Newcastle boss Kevin Keegan, are battling for survival as they sit just three points above third-bottom Leeds.

And Robson, whose side have not won away in the league since October, said: "They are fighting for their lives, we are fighting to get into Europe.

"Where's the pressure? We are happy we are fighting at the right end. The chances are it could be a draw but that will not be enough for either side, we both need all three points."

Newcastle are level on points and goal difference with Liverpool as the battle for fourth place looks destined to go to the meeting between the two at Anfield on the final day of the season.

"With four games to go we are fifth and one match away from the UEFA final," added Robson, whose side travel to Marseille for the second leg of the UEFA Cup semi-final on Thursday. "It's, under the circumstances, been a pretty good season.

"Chelsea's outlandish purchasing power put them above us. We had hopes of doing well and we are doing well."

* Former Newcastle striker Daniel Cordone has been banned for two years by the Argentinian Football Association after failing his second drugs test in less than a year.

The San Lorenzo player was given a three-month suspension in April 2003 after testing positive for the banned substance tetrahydrocannabinol, which is found in marijuana.

However, on February 14 this year Cordone was again found with traces of the substance in his body after playing for San Lorenzo in their opening closing championship match against Chacarita.

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