SIR BOBBY ROBSON insists Darren Ambrose is ready to emerge as a star at Newcastle following the departure of Nolberto Solano.

Ambrose, signed from Ipswich for £1.5m last March and rated a better player there than Kieron Dyer at the same age, is set for his first senior Newcastle start at Birmingham this afternoon.

Robson has taken flak over the sale of fans' favourite Solano, but maintains his squad is still strong enough to challenge for honours.

The Magpies' boss argues that, in Lee Bowyer and Ambrose, he has the players to fill Solano's right-sided role.

Ambrose, 19, has scored twice as a substitute this season, at home to NAC Breda in the UEFA Cup and at Leicester on Boxing Day with a last-gasp point-saver.

"Ambrose is ready, he's a fine young player,'' declared Robson. "We are well covered in that position, that is one of the reasons we let Nobby go.

"It gives us a chance to reinvest the money, if not now then at the end of the season.

"We always want to be knocking on the door; we want to be disputing the championship. The only way we can do that consistently is through the Academy and by improving the team.

"I don't think our squad has been weakened. We have Bowyer and Ambrose and the boy will play at Birmingham. He was highly rated by the people at Ipswich, who said he was better at the same age than Kieron Dyer.

"Now we are going to give him his chance. He has good feet and he's a big talent and he needs to be given his head. He will score goals.''

Bowyer, out for two months with a hip injury, is lined up for a comeback in the reserve game away to Liverpool on Monday.

Robson confirmed: "Bowyer will play for the reserves on Monday - he'll be back in a week.''

Striker Craig Bellamy, who hasn't appeared for the first team since early October after undergoing career-saving knee surgery, will be on the bench today at St. Andrews.

The Welsh international made a successful return in this week's home reserve game against Everton, and Robson said: "Bellamy is not even stiff or sore. He's had a good reaction and I think he can do 20 minutes at Birmingham if I need him.''

After the FA Cup defeat at Liverpool, Robson admitted: "We have to get rid of the blues - or the reds, if you look at it like that. We must not let it disturb us.

"The dressing-room was like a morgue last week, but we have to bounce back.''

* Celtic striker Henrik Larsson is stalling on signing a pre-contract with Newcastle for fear of a backlash from Bhoys fans.

Larsson leaves Parkhead this summer on a Bosman transfer, and Newcastle want the 32-year-old Swede on a two-year deal.

But Larsson knows many Celtic fans would see it as an act of treachery if he signalled his intention to move to England.

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