Newcastle's Clarence Acuna has given Bobby Robson a tonic by snubbing one of the biggest qualifying games in the World Cup.

Acuna is wanted by Chile for their South American showdown with rivals Argentina next week, a clash his country must win to stay in the competition.

But the 55-cap midfielder confirmed he had rejected the call because the game comes less than four days before Newcastle's derby with Sunderland at St James' Park.

Peru's Nolberto Solano has also temporarily turned his back on international football to cement his future on Tyneside.

That's a double blessing for Robson, who has regularly cursed the club v country conflict faced by some of his long-distance stars.

Acuna, who has made three starts since his £1m arrival from University of Chile last month, insisted: "I have to have a new set of priorities.

"I still want to play for my country but my No 1 priority must be to my new club who have given me this big opportunity.

"It would be disrespectful to Newcastle to go back after such a short time."

Robson believes tough-tackling Acuna, 25, can have the same sort of impact in the Premiership as players like Nicky Butt, Olivier Dacourt and Mark Kinsella.

The player has made an instant impression on fans after declaring: "I have no fears about playing in this country.

"There are no big mysteries to be solved. I know all the teams and the players because I have watched them on TV at home."

Solano's chances of facing Sunderland in 11 days' time depend on how quickly he can recover from the hamstring trouble that forced him to limp off against Ipswich last weekend.

Boss Bobby Robson initially feared that his South American winger might be out for a month but yesterday the injury was described as "a twinge."

Carl Cort could also be back in the frame for the derby after returning to full training yesterday for the first time in nearly six weeks.

The £7m striker has played only five games for the Geordies since his summer move from Wimbledon because of persistent hamstring trouble.

It would be a major boost for goal partner Alan Shearer, in particular, if Cort made a comeback against the Wearsiders.

Warren Barton is in contention for Saturday's trip to Leicester after recovering from a groin injury.

Shearer has slammed shut the door on England following claims that he could be lured back into the international fold.

The goal ace yesterday made it clear that he wouldn't be making a comeback for his country - either on or off the field.

England's former skipper plans to devote at least the next four years to Newcastle and he has assured Newcastle fans that nothing will get in the way of that.

Shearer is mystified by suggestions that he could return as a players' peacemaker under new boss Sven Goran Eriksson.

"I have heard nothing about that and I don't expect to hear anything," he insisted. As for playing for England, those days are over.

"People have spent five years trying to get me out of the England side and now they are trying to get me back into it."

l Patrik Berger is planning to fly to America this week for surgery on his knee after an injury which could keep him out of action for the rest of the season.

Liverpool's Czech midfielder was injured against Leeds on Saturday and will go to Colorado to see knee specialist Richard Steadman who has previously carried out operations on Berger and his team-mate Jamie Redknapp.

Berger said: ''When my Liverpool team-mates fly out to the Czech Republic on Wednesday to play against Slovan Liberec the next day it's possible that I'll be flying to Colorado for an appointment with Dr Richard Steadman.'