The worst of times for Newcastle to lose Shearer

ALAN SHEARER'S third groin operation in eight months has cast a huge shadow over Newcastle United's bid for honours. The England skipper's latest spell on the sidelines could hardly have come at a worse time with Newcastle mounting a title challenge at home, and a week away from their UEFA Cup quarter-final first-leg tie against Monaco.

In the wake bf Newcastle's 5-0 destruction of Manchester United on October 20th, Shearer was out of action for just over a month following an operation.

He missed England's 2-0 victory over Georgia in a World Cup qualifier and six Newcastle games, only two of which were won before returning to action in the 1-1 draw at Chelsea on November 23rd.

Since then, £15 million world-record signing Shearer has plundered 15 goals in 18 games, taking his season's tally to 23, and reviving Newcastle's title hopes in the process.

Now Newcastle manager Kenny Dalglish must pray that Shearer's remarkable powers of recovery enable him to make another swift comeback.

Shearer played in Newcastle's victory at Middlesbrough on Saturday which lifted them to third place, six points adrift of leaders Manchester United with a game in hand. But he had a quiet game and his failure to score ended his hopes of scoring against all 19 of Newcastle's Premiership opponents this season - a feat for which the bookmakers had offered odds of 500 to 1 at the start of the season.

Shearer's operation means his partnership with fellow England striker Les Ferdinand has been broken up again. Shearer and Ferdinand have scored 41 goals between them this season.

Ferdinand sustained a fractured cheekbone in the 1-1 draw against West Ham in November while Shearer was recovering from his October operation. The pair were reunited for Newcastle's 0-0 draw at Nottingham Forest on December 9th, but both took a while to regain their match sharpness.

Shearer announced his return to form with doubles against Tottenham and Leeds either side of the New Year and posted his first hat-trick for Newcastle in their last home game to secure a dramatic 4-3 victory over Leicester.

Peter Beardsley is most likely to benefit from Shearer's absence. He was on the substitutes' bench for the last two games, but Dalglish may recall him for Saturday's home clash against Southampton ahead of Faustino Asprilla who was dropped for Saturday's clash with Middlesbrough.

Dalglish's attacking options have been reduced by the sale of Darren Huckerby to Coventry shortly before Kevin Keegan's departure and that of Paul Kitson to West Ham two weeks ago.

England coach Glenn Hoddle admitted Shearer's latest operation had been inevitable. "Alan has kept me informed of his plans over recent days and, obviously, Kenny Dalglish and I will want him back as soon as possible.

"It's the third operation of its sort that he's had and we'll be hoping for as speedy a recovery as on the previous occasions."