CHRISTIAN KAREMBEU is in danger of being axed for Middlesbrough's crucial game at Charlton on Saturday.

Under-fire Boro boss Bryan Robson admitted he was mystified by Karembeu's dire performance in Monday's 3-1 defeat at the hands of derby rivals Newcastle at the Riverside Stadium.

Robson, booed by fans after Boro produced yet another home horror show, is not seeking any scapegoats and is insisting on collective responsibility for the dismal display.

To that end, Robson will today throw the floor open to debate at what could prove a heated team meeting.

Boro have failed to win at home in five Premiership games this season and are without a top-flight Riverside victory in nearly seven months, and Robson is anxious to canvass the opinion of his senior pros.

But he is clearly perturbed by the poor form of key personnel and his reaction to a post-match question about Karembeu's sub-standard efforts against Newcastle underlined his alarm at the French international's apparent inability to get to grips with the English game.

Too often, a ponderous Karembeu gave the ball away cheaply when hustled by Newcastle's dynamic midfield trio of Kieron Dyer, Gary Speed and Robert Lee.

Karembeu looked marginally more comfortable when he was switched to right wing-back for the second half.

But Robson, who believed he had pulled off a coup when he lured 29-year-old Karembeu from Real Madrid in a £2.1m summer deal, was at a loss as he conceded: "I thought Christian had a poor game. I don't know why, but he didn't perform well.''

Karembeu, who is reputedly being paid £40,000-a-week, has had a far from smooth introduction to life on Teesside.

Currently the most decorated player in the world, having won World Cup and European Championship medals with France and a European Cup gong with Real, Karembeu was forced to miss four Boro games because of a nagging knee injury.

His wife, Slovakian Wonderbra model Adriana Sklenarikova, has spoken of how she hates the harsh North-East weather and English food, and longs to spend more time at her plush Paris apartment.

But Karembeu insists he is "enjoying'' being with Boro and "adores'' English football.

Robson, meanwhile, as revealed in later editions of yesterday's Northern Echo, has vowed to fight on in the face of renewed fans' dissent.

"There's no question of me walking away,'' said Robson, whose sacking was demanded by a section of the Boro faithful midway through last season.

"Before this game, there was only once this season where I felt we didn't perform and that was the home match we lost against Everton. The tea cups were flying in the dressing room then.

"But now I'm going to ask the players for their opinions because I've got some experienced players and I'd like them to let me know what they think.

"There's no danger of me not fighting on. It's still early in the season and the league is so tight.

"If we'd beaten Newcastle, we would have gone sixth in the table - and I think we have got enough to finish in the top ten.

"I think the anxiety from the fans does get to the players, but we couldn't have had a more ideal situation going into the Newcastle game.

"We were hoping to go above Newcastle, there was a great atmosphere at the game and I expect my players to respond to that.''

Midfielders Robbie Mustoe (shoulder) and Phil Stamp (pulled muscle) were casualties of the game.

Boro were yesterday intensifying their interest in Croatia's Zvonimir Boban.

The AC Milan midfielder, 32, an international team-mate of Boro striker Alen Boksic, is available for a transfer fee of around £2m