Robson hailing Dynamic Dyer

According to his manager, Dyer is a footballing phenomenon the like of which he has never seen in his half-century in the game.

Football has always had its high energy midfielders, but according to Robson Dyer adds another dimension with his ability to still be running flat out in the dying minutes when most of his fellow players are running down the clock.

On Saturday it was that energy that led to Newcastle's fourth goal. Nothing appeared on when Dyer picked up possession on the left but, after bursting down the wing and winning a 50-50 with Craig Short, he squared the ball for Slovakian Vratislav Gresko to turn into his own net.

Newcastle have even carried out research on their players to see how far they run in an average game, with Jermaine Jenas the only player at Newcastle to come close to Dyer.

Robson said: "Dyer's energy amazes me. Look at the fourth goal - where has he come from?

"Alright it's an own goal but his penetration, his speed in getting in there is wonderful to behold.

"I've been in the game a couple of years and I don't think in all that time I have seen a midfield player run so far and so fast and so consistently as Kieron Dyer."

In the 1970s County Durham-born Manchester City legend Colin Bell was nicknamed Nijinsky after the 1970 Derby winner. Unscientific tests carried out revealed he covered around eight miles over 90 minutes.

Newcastle's more scientific figures have yet to be revealed, but talk is that Dyer and Jenas are battling over who is High Chaparral.

That pace and fitness in the Newcastle side is key to their ability to sustain their challenge at the top over the closing seven games, and according to Dyer there's one man who should take the plaudits.

Dyer said: "All credit to Paul Winsper, the fitness coach. He's an unsung hero at Newcastle.

"Craig Bellamy when he came here wasn't half as quick as he is now - he's dynamic now. Jermaine Jenas couldn't even lift a weight now he's never out of the weights room.

"Aaron Hughes we call him the machine - he's so fit. I've got to say we're one of the fittest teams in the league and it's all down to Paul Winsper.

"After Wednesday night you would have expected us to fade in the last 15 minutes (against Blackburn), but we came through.

"I always think my time will come in the last few minutes - it's always been one of my main strengths. It's also a strength of Jenas's and Gary Speed's.

"We're coming toward the end of the season, but it's a good thing we're still so fit an we can still do what we do in the last 15 minutes of the game.

"In terms of the title it's seven games now and our fitness will really come to the fore in those last few games."

With 31 games gone it's getting tighter at the top, with four days in April likely to go a long way to deciding who will lift the Premiership crown.

Newcastle are home to Manchester United on Saturday 12th and then Sir Alex Ferguson's men travel to Highbury.

On Saturday Blackburn provided stiff opposition for 85 minutes, and then Newcastle's fitness began to tell.

Newcastle started like they were still suffering a hangover from their midweek Champions League exit.

That was until the impressive Laurent Robert weaved a little magic on 24 minutes. He turned Ashington-born Martin Taylor inside out before a pin-point cross was headed home by Nolberto Solano.

Blackburn hit back, with Dwight Yorke missing three good first-half chances before Damien Duff levelled soon after the break.

A crude foul by Titus Bramble on substitute David Dunn led to the equaliser. The free kick on the corner of Newcastle's penalty area was touched by Tugay to Dunn whose effort was blocked but fell invitingly for Damien Duff to hammer home from 25 yards.

Just after the hour Robert then made it 2-1 curling home a free kick from 20 yards, having hit the post from a similar distance ten minutes earlier.

With Rovers searching for the equaliser, Graeme Souness replaced Yorke with former Magpies' favourite Andy Cole - greeted with his customary boos - and then Yorke returned the favour by replacing Cole in his manager's bad books.

Cole and Souness made up last week after a training ground bust-up, and Yorke stormed down the tunnel after telling his manager in no uncertain terms that he was not the striker who should have been replaced.

The change failed to bear any fruit despite Cole missing a late free header, and Newcastle exploited the gaps appearing the Rovers defence. Jenas, on for Solano, finished well for the third after good work down the left from Hughes, then Dyer forced an own-goal before Newcastle finished in style.

A delightful move on the left in injury time involving Hughes and substitutes Shola Ameobi and Hugo Viana, ended when the Portuguese international's cross was met first time by Bellamy - his first goal in ten games.

Bellamy ran over to the bench who, as Robson explained, have backed him wholeheartedly through his barren spell in front of goal.

"We've just told him to keep going," said Robson.

"He hasn't scored for a number of games but what he's done is made brilliant goals for other people.

"We've told him what you're doing is great, it's right. You're not trying to score from impossible angles. You're laying the ball across the goal. Like for Alan at Inter. He does all the spadework and Alan knocks it in.

"He did the same at Charlton. He gets the penalty and Alan knocks it in.

"He does the same for Solano and Solano knocks it in.

"Today somebody else did the work for him. I was delighted because his perseverance paid off for him.

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