Newcastle United having joined in the race with Blackburn to sign Dion Dublin from Coventry City, any acquisition would set up an interesting problem for Ruud Gullit - though Alan Shearer was outshone by Paul Dalglish last night when the youngster scored his first goal for the club.
Driving rain and a force seven wind whipping across the Wirral had made it more of a night for the underdog than the setting for the "sexy football".
After 31 minutes in which they had looked as good as the Premiership team, the Rovers defence was split by the penetrating passes of David Batty and Nolberto Solano. It allowed Dalglish to score the sort of goal that his father, Kenny, would have been delighted to put his name to.
Dalglish the younger kept his head and balance before gliding past the lunging John Achterberg in the Rovers goal and rolling a shot into the unguarded net.
Tranmere Rovers: Achterberg; Allen, McGreal, Hill, Santos, Thompson (Challinor, 65); Mellon, Irons, Koumas (Parkinson, 59); Kelly, G Jones.
Newcastle United: Given; Griffin, Charvet, Dabizas, Pearce; Solano, Batty, Speed, Glass (Gillespie, 70); Shearer, Dalglish.
Referee: S Dunn (Bristol).
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