Dyer gunning for Hammers

By Matthew Jones
August 19 2002

Kieron Dyer looks set to continue his midfield partnership with Jermaine Jenas on Monday against West Ham with Gary Speed on the sidelines.

Kieron Dyer looks set to continue his midfield partnership with Jermaine Jenas on Monday against West Ham with Gary Speed on the sidelines.

Barring a miraculous late recovery from Speed - who is recovering from a knee injury - Dyer will again be paired with teenager Jenas in Newcastle's opening Premiership game
of the season against the Hammers at St James' Park.

If Speed does not make it, the Magpies should be unchanged from the side which began the game against Zeljeznicar in Sarajevo last week with Titus Bramble and Hugo Viana set to make their Premiership bows. Meanwhile, Sir Bobby Robson has backed Dyer to be one of the sensations of the season - provided he can stay fit.

Although Dyer has been hugely impressive since joining Newcastle from Ipswich three years ago, his time at the club has been punctuated by injury problems.

But Robson is optimistic Dyer - who began his season with a Champions League goal against Zeljeznicar - can remain healthy and take the top flight by storm over the next nine months.

"This can be Kieron's year," said Robson. "He's had three major injuries in recent times, so if he can keep out of the way of the wagons and stay injury-free, he should have an outstanding season for us.

"He hasn't been very well recently. He was ill in the friendly against Nottingham Forest, not great against Wolves, OK for a little while against Barcelona but back to almost his best against Zeljeznicar in midweek.

"In spells the other night he was terrific but there's much more to come from him yet."