Coleman learns from sage Robson

Chris Coleman yesterday voiced his admiration for Sir Bobby Robson but said Fulham had nothing to fear ahead of today's Premiership clash with Newcastle.

The encounter at St James' Park will pit the oldest manager in the League against the youngest as Coleman targets victory against one of their rivals for the fourth Champions' League spot. And although Newcastle's goalless draw at Old Trafford last weekend indicates they are in good shape, the former Welsh international believes his team has the firepower to prevent an empty-handed return to the capital.

"I had a chat with Sir Bobby at a soccer course last weekend. He's a great bloke, full of knowledge. Few people have been in the game as long as he has and he's probably forgotten more than I'll ever learn," Coleman said. "But there is nothing to fear. I'll be happy if we can come away with a point and, although we're not performing to the best of our ability at the moment, I'm confident that we can do it."

Fulham have a solitary point from their last five matches on the road - a poor return which followed on the heels of October's heroics at Old Trafford, where they crushed Manchester United 3-1. But last Saturday's 2-1 win over Everton suggested that some of the steel which marked Fulham's early-season form has returned and Coleman is quick to admit the role he played in his side's recent slump.

"Beating Everton was a great result. Now we must build on that against Newcastle. Our away form hasn't been what it should," Coleman said. "But it was not just down to the players - I have to share the blame for the dip. I've picked the wrong team on occasion and the tactics haven't always been right. I'm still learning."

The Newcastle midfielder Gary Speed has urged his team-mates to take a leaf out of the Manchester United manual for Premiership success. Confidence soared at St James' last weekend when Robson's men travelled to Old Trafford and returned with a 0-0 draw. That result, along with the 3-0 FA Cup win at Southampton and a 1-0 victory over Leeds four days later, has rekindled belief that Newcastle can seriously contest the final Champions' League spot.

However, Speed admits that being 20 points adrift of United with four months of the season still to play is a major disappointment.

"It's frustrating because I think we've underachieved with the players and the squad we've got here. We've been up there in the top three or four for three or four years and people do raise their game against us now," Speed said.

"But they do that against Manchester United and Arsenal, and United have come to realise that people do raise their game against them, so they've got to raise their game every time, and we've got to do the same."