LEEDS defender Lucas Radebe has labelled Newcastle skipper Alan Shearer "a legend'' - and the equal of Arsenal's Thierry Henry.

Radebe suffered at Shearer's hands in Sunday's season opener at Elland Road.

Former England captain Shearer scored twice, the first time from the penalty spot to give the Magpies the lead after South African Radebe had brought down Kieron Dyer.

Shearer, 33 and making the 600th appearance of his club career, ensured a 2-2 draw when he struck two minutes from the end.

Again, Radebe was the unfortunate party when he was unable to deal with Nolberto Solano's centre and Shearer seized on the chance.

Radebe said: "Alan Shearer is a legend and one of the top strikers I have faced. He and Henry are the best.

"Shearer moves well, although he is getting a little bit slow, but you can't buy his experience.

"He's always in the right place at the right time. Give him the ball and he will stick it away.

"He's done it time and again over the years and he will keep doing it until the day he decides to finish.''

In an amusing postscript to the game, Shearer revealed that neither he nor former Leeds midfielder Gary Speed could supply the requisite urine sample when called in for a routine drugs test.

Shearer said: "I just couldn't do it - I tried for over an hour but nothing would happen. To make matters worse, everybody was looking over my shoulder.

"Not only that, but the team bus was waiting and all the boys were texting my mobile phone and asking where the heck I was.''

Dehydration is being blamed, and Shearer added: "It's not the first time it's happened. Kieron Dyer and Jermaine Jenas had a similar experience in Sarajevo last year.

"Why they don't just take a blood test before the game, I don't know.''

Meanwhile, Lee Bowyer admitted he produced a sub-standard performance on his Premiership debut for Newcastle in a white-hot atmosphere at Elland Road.

The midfielder, returning to his old club, received a rough ride from the home fans who haven't forgiven him for engineering a move last season.

"I can do better than that,'' insisted Bowyer. "I didn't think I performed very well.

"It was disappointing to get that sort of reception, but it didn't really surprise me and I can't let it bother me. I had a couple of chances and I don't know what would have happened had one of them gone in - I think the roof might have come off.''

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