NEWCASTLE United are refusing to rule injury-hit Alan Shearer out of Saturday's derby showdown with Middlesbrough - even though it is feared he could be sidelined for the rest of the season.

The United skipper was yesterday booked to see a specialist after suffering a shock recurrence of knee trouble.

Shearer was forced to pull out of a full-scale practice match at Chester-le-Street on Saturday when he felt a "sharp pain'' in the left knee which required surgery for tendinitis at Christmas.

Only a fortnight after returning from a nine-week lay-off, the 30-year-old striker is facing the possibility of another operation.

United, however, yesterday issued a statement which pre-empted the specialist's report by insisting Shearer's injury was only "slight'' and that it was "improving''.

The statement read: "We confirm he came out of training on Saturday with a slight knee injury.

"He came off as a precautionary measure and was seen by a specialist over the weekend.

"The situation is improving. Medical staff will continue to monitor him and they have not ruled him out of the home game against Middlesbrough.''

But Shearer, it seems, does not share United's apparent optimism.

"I'm absolutely fed up,'' he said. "I've gone from ecstasy to agony in the space of 24 hours.

"On Friday I was bursting with pride in front of my family and all my teammates when I was made a Freeman of Newcastle.

"The next day I was destroyed when the knee flared up. To say I've been unlucky with injuries is an under-statement. All I can do now is pray. I don't know what the specialist is going to say.''

Shearer experienced the searing pain as he attempted to shoot at keeper Steve Harper.

The two worst injuries of Shearer's career were cruciate damage, when he was out for half of his first season at Blackburn, and ruptured ankle ligaments which forced him to miss the first five months of the 1997-98 campaign with Newcastle.

l United boss Bobby Robson received a much-needed boost last night when £7m striker Carl Cort ended seven months of injury agony with 80 minutes of action against Liverpool Reserves at Kingston Park, writes JACK LESLIE.

And the former Wimbledon star emerged from a 2-0 win to declare: "I've got no problems at all with the hamstring - I feel great."

Cort may be ready and willing to turn out against Boro on Saturday, but Robson, who took a close look at him last night, has to weigh up whether to risk his record signing after such a long lay-off.

The likely absence of Shearer might force Robson's hand - but he will be wary of throwing Cort in at the deep end.

Cort added: "I'm happy to go in. If the manager feels he wants me to be involved, then I'll be happy to play. The sharpness and awareness will come back with games.

"I had chances against Liverpool which I should have stuck away, but missing them was down to me being out for so long."

Cort looked understandably rusty as he headed wide a golden first-half chance from five yards following a perfect cross from Lomana Lualua. But the lanky forward caused Liverpool numerous problems with his powerful presence.

A crowd of 1,813, three times the average, turned out to see Cort's return, but it was left to South Americans Pablo Bonvin and Diego Gavilan to score the goals.

Argentinian Bonvin cleverly lifted a 20-yard shot over diving Liverpool keeper Pegguy Arphexad in the 52nd minute to give United a lead.

Newcastle's Dutch keeper John Karelse preserved the advantage with a superb block when Liverpool defender Gregory Vignal broke clear and shot from just inside the area. But in injury time Paraguayan Gavilan took a square ball from Jamie McClen and drilled an unstoppable shot into the top left corner from the edge of the box.

Newcastle: Karelse, McGuffie, Glass, G Caldwell, Beharall, McClen, Gavilan, Boyd, Lualua (McMenamin 83), Cort (Coppinger 80), Bonvin (Kendrick 76). Subs (not used) Brennan, Brain