IT WAS a week when Newcastle United's Premiership title credentials were put to the test.

According to most watchers games at Highbury and Elland Road would surely see Bobby Robson's pretenders to the throne find the going just that little bit too tough.

Seven days after a battling victory at home to Blackburn put them third, Newcastle found themselves on Saturday night three points clear at the top of the Premiership.

The only problem is no-one knows exactly how they got there.

At the moment they refuse to do what is in some quarters being demanded of them - self-destruct!

But Bobby Robson could never have dreamed of picking up two wins - and more importantly two wins coming from behind - against what are, on paper, far superior teams.

But apparently to win the Premiership you have to be a brilliant team.

"We're a good team and basically good teams don't win the championship," said Robson, still keen to talk down any Premiership title talk.

"It's brilliant teams that win the championship.

"Are we a brilliant team? I don't think we are. We've got brilliant players, but I know where we need to be stronger."

Robson wouldn't elaborate on that but the indications are that he'll be hoping Freddy Shepherd will allow him to use the new year as a springboard to possibly attempt to turn the Magpies into something approaching a brilliant team.

"When Liverpool won a championship then went and bought a player - they always invested in the team," said Robson, clearly an admirer of the days of Shankley, Paisley and Fagan.

Possibly the rejuvenated Robson was looking ahead to Newcastle defending their title next year - or possibly he was only dreaming.

Back in the real world and it is likely that Newcastle will not win the title - but a Champions League spot would appear within their powers.

With Lee Bowyer returning to action the pressure was lifted - to an extent - from Bobby Robson and his league leaders.

Bowyer received a hero's reception from the home supporters with the Newcastle fans, surprisingly, failing to join in.

But in truth the quality of the football served up should have been enough to satisfy any watcher - whether Bowyer was playing or not!

In the opening half hour room in the middle of the park was at a premium with David Batty, Gary Speed, Seth Johnson and Kieron Dyer battling for dominance.

Speed in fact had the best effort of the opening stages producing a stinging shot that Nigel Martyn did well to tip over.

But it was a goal of stunning simplicity that set the Magpies on their way.

Dyer picked up the ball in his own half, fed Shearer before embarking on a lung-busting run up the other end of the field in time to collect a return pass from his skipper, outsprint Ian Harte on the right side of the box and cross for Bellamy who didn't break stride before firing home.

A minute later and it just had to be him!

Britain's most villified man collected the ball from a Mark Viduka pass, burst into the box and slid the ball under Shay Given.

A far from dignified celebration in front of the Newcastle fans, who in truth hadn't exactly taken him to their hearts, followed and the teams went in level - the visitors minus Nikos Dabizas who was stretchered off after an ugly lunge from Mark Viduka.

Leeds started the second half like a train with Viduka turning O'Brien to fire home the second before a Bowyer mishit on 56 minutes fell nicely for Ian Harte to crack a special from 25 yards.

Harte's failings in defence - he was at fault for Newcastle's first, fourth and possibly their second - are somewhat made up for with his ability to strike from anywhere on the pitch.

At this point Newcastle appeared to decide not to lose the game and one player who matched Dyer's desire was Robbie Elliott.

He kept Bowyer quiet for most of the second-half and ran the length of the pitch to get on the end of Dyer's parried shot to direct a diving header past the stranded Martyn.

On 70 minutes it was all level with substitute Eirik Bakke handling Speed's flick on and Shearer duly dispatching the penalty.

Newcastle were now on top with efforts from Sylvain Distin and Bellamy going close before Solano dispatched the winner on 90 minutes.

Dyer, speeding through the inside right channel, put a ball through into the path of Nolberto Solano who placed it cooly beyond Martyn from ten yards.

Their credentials would appear to be apparently all in order, but Robson still wants more.

"We have another game on Wednesday (Middlesbrough), another game on Saturday (Chelsea), then we go to Man Utd," he said.

"Now that will be the test - that will tell us where we are.

"I don't want to get carried away. We need a bit more confirmation - I'm not saying we were lucky against Arsenal but for half an hour we held on.

"The real test is how we can cope with what I think is possibly the best team in the league."