Robson peers over the precipice

UEFA Cup Quarter-finals, second leg: Bobby Robson's passion for impenetrable vocabulary is almost as great as his enthusiasm for the game itself.

Thus when searching for the appropriate description to convey the full magnitude of what tonight's UEFA Cup match against PSV Eindhoven means to Newcastle United, Robson considered it "a slight time bomb", "a narrow precipice", "a cat on a hot tin roof", and compared Newcastle to "a heavyweight boxer thinking about the fight after this - he might get knocked out".

So Newcastle will put Sunday's trip to Aston Villa and any thought of the semi-final out of their mind. What Robson could have said is that tonight is Newcastle's biggest game of the season, certainly their biggest since Partizan Belgrade arrived last August to win that vital Champions League qualifier.

"The winners go into the semi-final of the UEFA Cup, so it's crucial," Robson said. "It is on a slight time bomb. The first goal will be very important. It doesn't end the tie, but it is a big advantage. PSV know they have to score."

The away goal scored by Jermaine Jenas in Eindhoven last Thursday means that 0-0 would see Newcastle through. That, however, is a rare scoreline at St James' Park, and the fact that Newcastle just had one against Arsenal on Sunday makes it feel extremely unlikely that there will be another this evening.

PSV's chances of scoring have been reduced by the injury to Arjen Robben in their 5-0 win over Groningen at the weekend, but Mateja Kezman, who produced a classy finish to put PSV 1-0 up in Eindhoven, continued his impressive form with a hat-trick for the Dutch champions.

"We cannot give him too much space," said Robson of Kezman, and then refused to answer Dutch journalists' questions as to whether he was meeting the PSV chairman after the game to purchase Kezman.

Robson has a dilemma as to who will oppose Kezman alongside Jonathan Woodgate, Titus Bramble or Andy O'Brien. O'Brien did well on Sunday against Arsenal. Otherwise Newcastle are fighting fit.

"We are at home and we will be kicking ourselves if we don't win," said Gary Speed. "We have learned if you get a good result away from home first that it doesn't mean anything. We have learned from the Partizan game. The lesson should be enough to see us through."

NEWCASTLE UNITED (4-4-2, probable): Given; Hughes, Woodgate, Bramble, Bernard; Ambrose, Jenas, Speed, Robert; Shearer, Bellamy.

PSV EINDHOVEN (4-1-4-1, probable ): Waterreus; Bogelund, Colin, Bouma, Lee; Vogel; Rommedahl, Van Bommel, De Jong, Park; Kezman.

Newcastle (1) v Eindhoven (1)

St James' Park, 7.45

On TV: ITV 2