KIERON DYER last night insisted that Newcastle teammate Jonathan Woodgate is the man to fill Rio Ferdinand's England boots at Euro 2004.

With Manchester United centre-back Ferdinand set to serve an eight-month ban for missing a drugs test, Woodgate is re-emerging as a contender to partner Sol Campbell at the heart of Sven-Goran Eriksson's defence.

Ferdinand is a close friend of Dyer, but the Magpies' midfielder is convinced Eriksson should look no further than Woodgate for a replacement.

Woodgate neutralised the threat of Manchester United's Ruud van Nistelrooy as Newcastle claimed a deserved point in Sunday's goalless draw at Old Trafford.

Sir Bobby Robson's side have kept seven clean sheets in 11 of the games Woodgate has played this season and have not conceded in three matches since his return from a torn hamstring.

Woodgate, 24 a week on Thursday, also missed two months of the season after undergoing a double hernia operation.

But the former Leeds player, who joined Newcastle in a £9m deal nearly a year ago, is now hoping to rebuild an international career which stalled in his Elland Road days when he went on trial for an assault on an Asian student and was found guilty of affray.

The Middlesbrough-born defender has won only four senior caps, the last of which was against Macedonia in a Euro 2004 qualifier at Southampton in October 2002, since making his England debut in 1999.

But Dyer said: "I think there are reasons why he hasn't won many more caps. For two years he was not playing for the England team for obvious reasons, and that must have been frustrating.

"He has also had his injury problems over the last year or so, but I know Mr Eriksson likes him because I remember the Slovakian qualifier away from home and he picked him in front of Gareth Southgate.

"Woody has got everything. The only problem is that he has missed a few games and people like John Terry and Matthew Upson have staked their claim, but if the England manager is short in that position, with the problem hanging over Rio, he knows he has a wonderful replacement in Jonathan Woodgate.

"I think he showed against Manchester United that he could be a star this summer. Woody is so strong and he smells out problems and deals with them.

"He has been a magnificent buy for the club and everyone now hopes he can stay free of injury until the end of the season because, when he is fully fit, he is a high-class defender.

"When you think the Manchester United game was only his third match back, that shows what he can do.

"Woody is irreplaceable for us. Titus Bramble and Andy O'Brien have done very well because we have had quite a few clean sheets this season.

"He provides something different whenever he is at the back. He told us we have only lost one of the 11 games he has played this season and, unfortunately, that was Partizan Belgrade at home, but it underlines the fact he is a massive player for us.

"It is a massive tournament coming up and the likes of myself, Jermaine Jenas and Woody have got a chance of going to the European finals - hopefully we can all do it. That would be a great achievement for Newcastle United.

"I was lucky enough to go away to the World Cup finals for six weeks. It is a fantastic experience for any player and one what I would love to repeat.''

Newcastle boss Robson said: "Woodgate was wonderful, he played Ruud van Nistelrooy very well. You can see why Leeds were pretty good defensively when Rio Ferdinand and Jonathan Woodgate played there together.''

Meanwhile, Alan Shearer admitted he sought out referee Paul Durkin to salute him for his honesty in admitting he was wrong to deny the Newcastle skipper a penalty at Old Trafford.

Shearer was clearly brought down by goalkeeper Tim Howard, and Durkin conceded after the game he had made a mistake.

Shearer, furious at the time of the incident, said: "I went in to see Paul Durkin to tell him that I admire him and respect him all the more for that.

"We all make mistakes and he has been big enough to admit that one, and it's not often you hear a referee coming out and telling the truth. I have always thought he is one of the best referees around."

l Celtic's Henrik Larsson last night gave Newcastle fresh hope of landing him after admitting he was "stunned'' to read Sir Bobby Robson's claim that he had already decided where his future lies.

The Newcastle boss said he had abandoned his interest in the Swedish striker after learning Larsson had made his mind up about where he will go when he leaves Parkhead at the end of the season.

But Larsson, who has been linked with Barcelona and insists he has had no contact with Newcastle, said: "When I saw Sir Bobby's declarations I had signed for another club, I was stunned.

"Neither I nor my agent have, at any point, talked to Newcastle. It is strange that somebody else knows more about my future than myself. We have not negotiated with any club and I do not know where I will play next season. That is the truth.