Bobby Robson believes Paul Gascoigne is in better condition than he was when he took on the world a decade ago.

The Newcastle boss yesterday ducked out of answering whether Gazza should be back playing for England - just as he sidestepped questions on his own position as a potential caretaker of the national team.

"Gazza and England? That's not for me to answer," said Robson, having earlier pre-empted any discussion on the England job as "hypothetical hullaballoo."

But the man who labelled Gazza "daft as a brush" in the 1990 World cup knows how desperately the 33-year-old Geordie wants to clean up today on his first return to St James' Park for 12 years.

Robson admitted he hardly recognised the Everton midfielder when he bumped into him watching a reserve match at Goodison this week.

"He looked lean, mean, muscular and in tip-top condition, better even than ten years ago," he said.

"The last time I'd seen him was when Middlesbrough were going out to Libya for an end-of-season tour and he wasn't in the same shape then.

"It think Bryan Robson thought it was a non-recoverable job and it got to the point were people were questioning whether he would go out of the game. We all thought he was slipping away at Premiership level.

"But he has gone to Everton and proved a lot of us wrong. He has revived his career and come back and I've got nothing but praise and admiration for him.

"It's a personal sadness to me that Paul isn't sitting on 100 caps. At 23 in the World Cup he was in my opinion the best young player in the world.

"I knew when I picked him he would go 'whoosh.' He meant a lot to me and I'd like to think I meant a lot to him.

"Had he stayed fit and kept at that level he could have played for England for ten years. He played 57 times but he could have doubled that. Think of the years he missed.

"Now he's almost back to his best and at his best he was one of the top players in the world. That pleases me. Walter Smith took a gamble on him and that gamble has paid off. Gazza has got his mood, life and future together and I genuinely hope it stays that way."

The last time Gascoigne played on Tyneside he was pelted with Mars bars by fans angry over his defection to Spurs in 1988. And while the welcome from the Toon army is sure to be more cordial this time, Gascoigne is intent on having the last laugh.

Robson revealed: "He couldn't stop talking when I saw him this week. He was daft as a brush ten years ago and he'll always be like that.

"It was the same old Gazza. He told me he was going to boss the midfield and be man of the match and how Everton were going to beat us. I said 'remember, we'll get in behind you' and he didn't like it. It stopped him in his tracks.

"I'm sure he'll get a terrific reception from our fans. But it's our job to make sure he doesn't play well."

Laurent Charvet is expected to play after a snag in his scheduled £1.5m move to Manchester City.

The French defender was back training with Newcastle yesterday after talks on the move went on ice. And Robson confirmed: "If he doesn't sign for City he'll be in against Everton."

Newcastle could go back to the top of the Premiership today and Robson won't tolerate a falling off in standards following the 3-1 win at Middlesbrough on Monday night.

"It's been a while since we gave our fans a home victory. I don't want us to drop out of the top echelon of clubs but only confidence and motivation will keep us there," he said.

Robson is pleased that former Toon striker Duncan Ferguson is sidelined but so is Everton old boy Gary Speed.

Speed said: "Duncan will be gutted to miss this one but people would be wrong to write him off. It wouldn't surprise me if he came back some day to haunt us."

Alan Shearer is looking for his first home goal of the season after scoring in three away matches. The former England skipper said: "I've scored in the last two games and I hope to keep that going.

"I haven't had the pleasure yet of scoring in front of 51,000 supporters at St James' Park and I'd love to do it against Everton."

New signing Clarence Acuna doesn't jet in from Chile until after the match.

Everton's Scottish ace David Weir comes face to face with Shearer again knowing Newcastle's goal machine must be shackled if the Merseysiders are to start emerging from their alarming slump.

Everton, after two dreadful home displays and just two wins in 11 matches this term, are tottering on the brink of a relegation crisis.

Defender Weir, who's had a couple of recent battles with Shearer at international level of late as well as having to confront him in the Premiership, spelt out the task for Everton.

He said: ''Newcastle have come into a bit of form and it will be a tough one for us.