SIR BOBBY ROBSON admits he is on the horns of a dilemma over whether to recall virus victim Jonathan Woodgate for Newcastle's clash with Tottenham at White Hart Lane tomorrow afternoon.

Robson yesterday revealed that he refused a request from his defensive kingpin to face Real Mallorca in Thursday's 4-1 UEFA Cup fourth-round first-leg victory at St. James' Park.

Woodgate wanted to play despite running a temperature and being physically sick on the training ground this week.

Robson confirmed that his £9m centre-back is in contention to face Spurs, but that the rock-solid performances of Andy O'Brien and Titus Bramble have presented him with a difficult decision.

"Woodgate should be fitter by Sunday,'' said Robson. "He wanted to play on Thursday. He was disappointed that I left him out, but I told him face to face he wasn't going to play.

"He had been ill in bed for two days and vomitted on the training pitch on Tuesday. He had a temperature and he wasn't 100 per cent, which he admitted, so I decided there was no point in him playing, especially as O'Brien and Bramble have been quite formidable of late.

"I just trusted those two. They were both on two yellow cards and if they had been booked we would have had one centre-half for the second leg in Mallorca.

"They played under that pressure and, because of that, there was good reason for me to play Jonathan and leave one out.

"But I warned the pair of them that they had to play with discipline and they did that. It would be hard to leave them one of them out now. They both did very well the other night.''

Robson was yesterday awaiting an update on midfielder Kieron Dyer, who underwent a scan after aggravating a hamstring injury.

"He's having a scan to see the extent of it,'' said Robson. "It's not as bad as it could have been, but I don't know whether he will be fit for Sunday.

"It's very similar to the injury he sustained at Portsmouth, with the muscle going into a spasm, but he did the sensible thing and walked off.''

Striker Craig Bellamy surprised Robson by shaking off a hamstring problem to produce an inspired display against Mallorca.

Bellamy scored United's equaliser and now has five goals in six games.

"Craig did very well - I didn't think he would have much of a chance of playing,'' confessed Robson.

"I think it's confidence with Craig. He went through a number of games where he wasn't scoring and was missing chances.

"But after being out for four months with his knee injury, he scored on his comeback and he's scored in every game since except the home leg here against Valerenga in the last round when we took him off at half-time.

"He took his goal well against Mallorca and was full of running - as was Dyer until he went off.''

Skipper Alan Shearer reaches yet another career milestone this weekend when he makes his 300th career start for Newcastle.

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