ALAN SHEARER will urge Newcastle United manager Bobby Robson to make Lomana Lualua his new frontline foil.

United skipper Shearer endorsed 19-year-old Lualua's claims after the £2.25m recruit from Colchester underlined his potential in Saturday's 1-0 win at Manchester City.

Lualua, yet to start for United, made his second substitute appearance when he came on as a 64th-minute replacement for Argentinian striker Daniel Cordone and ten minutes later helped in the assist as Shearer grabbed his first goal in open play in ten games this season.

With £7m Carl Cort sidelined for up to a month with a recurrence of hamstring trouble, Lualua looks set to be given his chance alongside his idol.

"He can't do any more than he has done,'' said Shearer, who threw an affectionate arm around the youngster on the final whistle.

"The good thing about him is that he plays close to me.

"And if you give him the ball, he's fast. He's going to be a great player for this club - I think he'll be very big here.

"He's still young, he's had a big move and at the end of the game I just had a word with him to say: 'Well done.' He changed the game for us really and he's done very well.''

Robson said: "The boy is clever in possession, but he's got to learn to play with other people and not dribble out of exit C! He's got ability and if we coach him right he'll be a wonderful player.''

Shearer insisted his lean spell hadn't affected him. "It might bother you when you're 17 or 18, but you learn to deal with the times when you don't score.

"I don't have to answer to anyone. I'd have been delighted to come away from this game with three points even if I hadn't scored.

"But you could tell how delighted I was with the goal.''

Shearer argued with the general consensus that he was offside when substitute Nolberto Solano delivered the cross for his headed finish.

"It wasn't off-side - I was a good yard or two on-side,'' said Shearer.

"Nobby is a tremendous crosser and he reacted in the right way to being left out of the starting line-up.''

The Peruvian appeared in the 73rd minute after Kieron Dyer suffered a knee ligament injury which makes him doubtful for England's World Cup qualifier against Germany.

Robson revealed: "Dyer twisted his knee and he's got an ice pack on it. He's disturbed the ligaments and there might be some doubt about him for England. He's in hot form at the moment and it'll be a shame if he has to miss out.''

Robson also admitted that full-back Andy Griffin may be forced to withdraw from the England Under-21 squad with a back injury.

Shearer, meanwhile, is looking forward to over two weeks' rest. The former England captain, who hung up his international boots after Euro 2000, said: "England-Germany is a great way to bring the curtain down on Wembley.

"It'll be strange not being involved, but I'll enjoy the two weeks off to recover for our game at Middlesbrough.'