Newcastle Utd 1 - 1 Fulham - LOUIS SAHA returned to haunt Newcastle and deal a damaging blow to their hopes of clinching a Champions' League place.

The French striker, on his first appearance at St. James' Park since former United boss Ruud Gullit decided against making his loan stint permanent three seasons ago, snatched a deserved equaliser for Premiership strugglers Fulham.

Saha touched in a first-time strike by Sean Davis 13 minutes from the end after a left-wing corner from Steed Malbranque was only partially cleared.

It was Saha's second goal in as many games against the Magpies - he also scored in his side's 3-1 win at Craven Cottage in November - on a night when United skipper Alan Shearer was upstaged and frustrated in his bid to become the first player to register 200 Premiership goals.

England midfielder Kieron Dyer had given United the lead in the 21st minute with his second goal of the season.

But they failed to capitalise and it was a bitterly disappointing result for Bobby Robson's side, who were booed off by the home fans as lowly Fulham claimed only their second point in nine games.

The point lifts United back into a top-four Champions' League berth, but leaves them only one clear of Chelsea and four ahead of Leeds, with a game in hand on both sides.

Robson took no risks with Craig Bellamy's six-week knee injury, after the Wales striker failed to make United's weekend training sessions.

But Bellamy's international skipper Gary Speed ended his own five-match lay-off with a hamstring problem, taking the place of Jermaine Jenas in midfield.

And Robson gave an under-the-weather Nikos Dabizas a welcome breather on the bench, with Robbie Elliott returning at left-back and Sylvain Distin switching to the centre of defence to deputise for the ailing Greek.

Shearer soon had the scent of goal, but when Nolberto Solano curled in a ninth-minute cross, the master marksman was unable to get a clean connection in an aerial duel with former Sunderland defender Andy Melville.

Chelsea boss Claudio Ranieri was among the crowd, checking on West London neighbours Fulham ahead of their FA Cup semi-final at Villa Park on Sunday, and at the same time running the rule over his side's Champions' League rivals.

Ranieri found that Fulham, having gone into Premiership freefall, were determined not to let Newcastle have it all their own way.

But all their early work was undone when Dyer struck. Laurent Robert nodded forward from Shearer's delivery and after the ball had taken a generous deflection off Melville, Dyer sped clear inside the box on the left to coolly side-foot home, with van der Sar just managing a touch with an outstretched leg.

Four minutes later, however, Fulham were almost back in the game. Saha left Andy O'Brien trailing in his slipstream but reckoned without the awareness and agility of keeper Shay Given, who raced from his line to save at the striker's feet.

Given needed to have his wits about him again in the 35th minute when Malbranque dropped the ball at the feet of Steve Marlet, whose first-time attempt was snuffed out by the Republic of Ireland international.

Shearer's eagerness to find the net was amply demonstrated shortly before the interval when he flung himself at Solano's free-kick, but van der Sar made a decisive punch clear.

Set-piece specialist Solano sent over an inviting corner for Carl Cort six minutes into the second half, but the striker's header was too high.

But Saha's pace was always a threat and when he forced his way through on the right, Given again had to make a brave save to halt his progress.

With Davis - a lookalike stand-in for injured United old boy Lee Clark - prompting and probing effectively in midfield, Newcastle never looked comfortable.

The home side were in need of a second goal, but when Robert tried his luck from distance, a deflection sent his shot looping wide.

Robson decided on an infusion of youth to carry the fight when he introduced 19-year-old new boy Jenas in place of a labouring Cort.

Dyer moved up front with Shearer, but Fulham always looked capable of levelling, which they did when Saha gave the Magpies another reminder of what they have missed.

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