ALAN SHEARER last night bemoaned the failure of his “big three” strikers to convert three big chances against Portsmouth.

The Magpies leading lights in attack: Obafemi Martins, Mark Viduka and Michael Owen all fluffed their lines when faced with match-winning opportunities as Shearer admitted his side lack confidence in front of goal.

If only they could have taken a leaf out of their manager's book. Asked which division he thought Newcastle would be playing in next season, Shearer's reply was instant and emphatic: “The Premier League,” he said. Had his strikers shown a similar lack of hesitancy in front of goal, you'd be more inclined to believe the manager's confident assertion that his side will avoid the drop.

But their inability to take all three points from a game that Shearer had billed as a “must win” fixture, leaves Newcastle with a huge battle to secure their top flight status. They now sit three points adrift of safety and will be hoping to take something from Sunday's trip to Anfield ahead of the Tyne-Tees derby a week later.

“It's ironic that all three of the strikers I played up front have had chances to win the game but they haven't taken them,” noted Shearer. “We created more chances this evening than we have in our other three games since I took over, so that is pleasing. But the big three (Martins, Viduka and Owen) have had chances but not put them away. On another day we'd have won this game. I'm disappointed we haven't taken all three points.”

Michael Owen's one-on-one with David James after 63 minutes, that the England keeper blocked with his legs, was Newcastle's best chance to break the deadlock. But Shearer refused to point the finger at his miss-firing number ten who last found the back of the net ten games ago.

“He'd expect himself to put away a chance like that, so would Oba and Big Mark with the chances that came their way. We know if we keep giving him chances he'll get a goal,” said the manager.

Newcastle haven't won in nine games and the St James' Park crowd, who started the evening in great voice, haven't seen their side win on home soil since before Christmas. Shearer admitted that his side are struggling to find a winning formula. “Confidence is a big thing in football and winning football matches becomes a habit. The team aren't winning matches at the minute. It's also proving difficult to score goals."

“I don't know if that's going to be enough to keep us up. I don't know if it's going to be a good or bad point. There are going to be a hell of a lot more twists and turns before the end of the season. We've got to stick in there and keep fighting,” insisted Shearer.

“We are relying on other people. Its going to be a tense end to the season and we've got to make sure we're still in there fighting.”

Shearer revealed that he's likely have to do without left back Jose Enrique against Liverpool after the Spaniard pulled up in the first half. “It's a blow, a hamstring injury. My experience of hamstrings suggests he'll probably be out this weekend. We'll have a look at it in the morning and he'll have a scan.”

Despite a 4-3-3 starting formation failing to secure his first victory as Newcastle boss, Shearer defended his gung-ho tactics. “Certainly for the first 60-65 minutes I thought we forced the game.Apart from hitting the post they've not given us many problems and Steve Harper has not had a save to make for most of the game. Have we found the right formula? Yes in terms of chances but no in terms of goals.

“You won't get anywhere with out commitment or effort and my players have given that. The players looked dead on their feet by the end and that was probably because of the way they'd gone for it from the off. I asked to play from the first minute and they did that. I can't fault the players for effort. No-one will be feeling sorry for themselves. No way, I wouldn't allow that.”

His opposite number Paul Hart was happy to see his Pompey side cope with Newcastle's attacking threat but admitted they'd been given a difficult night. “It was a very tough game, an emotional game. Newcastle tried to throw the kitchen sink at us. On reflection I though we had the edge."

Shearer explained his decision to drop Kevin Nolan from last night's squad: “We were just trying something different, his chance will come again.”