SIR BOBBY ROBSON'S plans for Newcastle's high noon showdown with Manchester United on Saturday are in danger of being sabotaged by his players' gruelling start to the season.

Defender Jonathan Woodgate was yesterday ruled out of England's friendly with Croatia at Ipswich tonight after suffering a reaction to a knock sustained in the Magpies' bruising 2-2 draw away to Leeds on Sunday.

Striker Shola Ameobi has also provided Robson with a headache after his withdrawal from the England Under-21s with a knee injury picked up during his late substitute appearance at Elland Road.

Newcastle have no fewer than 12 other players on international duty this week at either senior or Under-21 level - not including those currently out on loan - and Robson has expressed particular concern about Gary Speed and Craig Bellamy.

The Wales duo are back in Belgrade tonight, only a week after Newcastle's Champions League first-leg qualifying victory over Partizan in the Serbian capital.

Assuming they come through unscathed from the clash with Serbia & Montenegro, midfielder Speed and striker Bellamy will have played four games in a punishing ten-day schedule by the time they face Man. United.

But Robson sees no solution to the club-v-country conflict. He said: "We've got around a dozen players away and Speed and Bellamy have had to go back to Belgrade.

"They won't get back until about four in the morning on Thursday. By the time they get up, they'll be playing Man. United 48 hours later. But there's no answer to the problem - there's nothing we can do about it, we just have to get on with it.''

The Newcastle manager is set to ignore the claims of winger Nolberto Solano, who linked up with Peru against Robson's wishes for their game against Mexico in the United States.

Meanwhile, controversial referee Uriah Rennie, who sent off Newcastle skipper Alan Shearer four years ago, will take charge of Saturday's televised match.

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