Solano will fight for first team place

By Matthew Jones
December 20 2002

After missing Newcastle's 1-1 draw with Southampton, Solano will have a tought battle to regain his first team place with England youngster Jenas impressing Sir Bobby Robson filling in for Nobby. It's a tough call, but only Bobby knows who he will be picking.

Nobby Solano faces a tough battle to regain his first-team place against Fulham after missing the 1-1 draw at Southampton through injury.

Sir Bobby Robson was not very impressed when the Peruvian ace told him he was unable to play the game because of little pain in his little toe - he did refuse to take a pain-killing injection.

A later scan revealed that Solano's little toe merely bruised, which frustrated Robson's attitude towards Solano. Teenager Jermaine Jenas, who replaced Solano against Southampton put in an impressive performance, so Bobby has a tough choice to make.

Robson has hinted that he may continue with England Under-21 ace Jenas for Saturday's visit of Jean Tigana's men.

"Jermaine does not deserve to be dropped and Nobby cannot expect to walk straight back into the side," said Robson. "Nothing has shown up in any of the scan's on Nobby's toe other than bruising and I told him that a small pain-killing injection before the Southampton game would do the trick. But he didn't want the injection so we left him behind."

Meanwhile, French full-back Olivier Bernard - who also missed the Saints trip - is back on Tyneside after a scan on his swollen left knee showed no significant problem but he has been short of training this week and is likely to sit things out against Fulham.

Hugo Viana is a long-term absentee with his dislocated shoulder - which Robson hopes will take 10 weeks to heal but admits could be longer - so French winger Laurent Robert will keep his place in the starting line-up.