Sir Bobby Robson rated Alan Shearer's match-winning performance as his best of the season - and then praised Claus Lundekvam and Michael Svensson.

The Newcastle boss said: "Alan Shearer's performance was of a very high stature and everyone played off that.

"It was his best performance of the season, not because of the goal but because of his overall performance. He chased people, he played with more movement down the gullies and didn't play with his back to goal so much.

"Their two centre halves were very good, they sat deep, we couldn't get behind them and they're big tall guys.

"When we went wide they headed most of the crosses out."

It was a case of deja vu for Strachan, who was left praising Shearer's performance for the second year running.

After last November's 2-1 loss at Newcastle, Strachan said: "I can simplify this game. Shearer on our side we win, on their side they win.

"It was a world class performance from him."

After Saturday's loss he was more cryptic, admitting: "If you want to kill the Indians you have to kill the chief, and he was the chief."

Robson added: "We opened quite sensationally, we were brisk and eager but they held the fort, didn't concede and saw that difficult period out.

"I was hoping we'd score during that period and then go and win comfortably.

"But it was good, desperate defending in the box and the goal never came so we were always a bit on edge.

"But we deserved to win. They didn't really get in behind us, Shay Given has made the save of the match which has probably saved us two points, when he saved the 30-yarder from Telfer.

"But that was their only real strike at goal whereas we got in behind them many times.

"The second goal always looked likely to come but it never came so there was tension, the heart strings were pounding - because there was no cushion - but the players got what they deserved.

"Our back five did very well and Titus Bramble was probably just ahead of everybody.

"We told him to get stuck into James Beattie, who's a strong brusque centre forward, heavy in stature - you can't knock him over - and tankish.

"Titus has got the same build and did very well."