Strikers beginning to prove good value

Martin O'Neill should consider a career in soothsaying. The Leicester manager had warned that the partnership of Alan Shearer and Duncan Ferguson was a "fearsome prospect". Sure enough, a goal from each brought Newcastle a deserved victory yesterday.

For a pairing which was supposedly doomed to failure, Shearer and Ferguson are doing very nicely thank you. Between them they have scored seven times in three matches. Even at Stg £22 million, Britain's most expensive front two could prove value for money.

"A lot of people like a big one and a small one up front," said Newcastle's manager Bobby Robson. "But they have both got an aerial threat. They know they can win it for each other, and one's right-footed and one's left-footed so it's a nice balance. Also, they can both hold it up. It could be a very lethal partnership."

Certainly it was too strong for an injury-weakened Leicester, whose hopes of a top-six finish are threatened by a lack of strength in depth.

The grin on Robson's face was understandable. When he arrived in September Newcastle had taken one point from six matches. The 14 since have yielded 22.

"I always felt we could turn it around," he said, "but I didn't think we would get as many points as we have. At one time we were destined to be relegated. On that evidence you can't see us going down."

You cannot see how Newcastle's board will fail to offer Robson a new contract either. After Steve Harper had spectacularly denied Darren Eadie, Newcastle took control. They deserved their 21st-minute lead, Shearer beating Matt Elliott and crossing for Ferguson to side-foot in.

Heskey should have equalised shortly before half-time; instead Nolberto Solano sent Shearer clear to score at the other end. Although Theo Zagorakis pulled a goal back from long range, Leicester could not prevent a fourth straight league defeat, the worst sequence since O'Neill arrived in December 1995.

Leicester: Flowers, Sinclair, Taggart, Savage, Gilchrist, Elliott, Izzet (Campbell 32), Zagorakis, Eadie, Heskey, Cottee (Thomas 60). Subs Not Used: Gunnlaugsson, Arphexad, Fenton. Booked: Taggart, Savage. Goals: Zagorakis 83.

Newcastle: Harper, Barton, Marcelino, Dabizas, Pistone, Speed, Solano, Gallacher, Lee, Shearer, Ferguson. Subs Not Used: Given, Ketsbaia, Glass, Hughes, Antunes. Goals: Ferguson 21, Shearer 53. Attendance: 21,225.

Referee: P Durkin (Dorset).