Shaun Goater banked three precious Premiership points for the Manchester City survival fund to effectively end Newcastle's dreams of Europe.

The striker claimed the only goal of the game on 61 minutes to secure a deserved win for the relegation-haunted Blues as even Alan Shearer's return from injury could not inspire the Magpies.

City worked desperately hard throughout and could have won even more comfortably if Darren Huckerby had not squandered a 68th-minute chance to make it 2-0, but they found themselves pitched into battle with a United side which misfired badly throughout to leave the bulk of a 51,981 crowd baying for blood.

Robson was furious at the way his players capitulated at Charlton a fortnight ago, and worked them constantly during their trip to La Manga last week, but there were no rewards to be reaped from that excursion today as they lacked invention, quality and a cutting edge.

Shearer's return had already been confirmed by Robson, but there were several other changes as injuries and illness further depleted the United squad.

Rob Lee and Marcelino were both hit by a virus while Gary Speed was sidelined by a calf injury to open the door for Alain Goma, Andy Griffin and Kevin Gallacher to return, while Warren Barton was named among the substitutes.

Steve Howey returned from a broken toe to go head-to-head with Shearer, while Andy Morrison dropped to the bench as Tony Grant won a recall.

Shearer's appearance on the teamsheet was just the news for which the home fans had been waiting, but they were left with little to cheer in a dull first half.

Lee and Speed were badly missed in the engine room, and with Dyer having to curb his usual exuberance, United huffed and puffed without really getting very far.

Shola Ameobi and Nolberto Solano both tested Nicky Weaver with long-range efforts and Wayne Quinn flashed a free-kick inches wide of the post, but Shearer's 22nd-minute header, which arrived at a comfortable height for the keeper, was as close as they came to breaking the deadlock.

City started slowly but gradually grew in confidence as the expected black and white onslaught failed to materialise, and they arguably had the better chances.

Andrei Kanchelskis and Huckerby gave their side two good out-balls as they clung to the touchlines and isolated full-backs Wayne Quinn and Griffin.

The Ukrainian who opened the door for Alfie Haaland two minutes before half-time when, not for the first time, he turned Quinn inside-out, although the defender skied his shot from 20 yards.

Robson is not a man to mince his words when he is not happy with his players, and more than once, a half-time rocket has done the trick for the Tynesiders.

But this was not one of them, and if anything, they were even less effective after the break than they had been before it.

Chilean Clarence Acuna almost put the home side in front on 57 minutes as he lunged at Shearer's cross at the far post but could not keep his header down, but that was one of the few bright spots for the Magpies.

Increasingly, it was the visitors who were running the show, and they could have taken the lead on 59 minutes when Goater pulled the ball back for Grant, whose shot was deflected just off target.

But if Newcastle escaped then, they were no so fortunate two minutes later when Goater raced away from a square back-line to slide a shot under the Irishman to make it 1-0.

The advantage should have been doubled within seven minutes when Grant broke down the right and crossed low for Huckerby, who simply had to side-foot the ball past Given but somehow stubbed the ball wide.

Robson withdrew Acuna, Gallacher and Ameobi with 20 minutes remaining to send on Barton, Stephen Glass and Lomana Lua Lua, but still the chances did not come.

Supporters started to leave the ground long before the final whistle, and it was significant that the news of Newcastle Falcons' victory over Harlequins raised the biggest cheer of the day when it was announced over the public address system.

Teams:

Newcastle: Given, Goma, Griffin, Hughes, Acuna (Barton 68), Dyer, Quinn, Solano, Ameobi (Lua-Lua 69), Shearer, Gallacher (Glass 69).

Subs Not Used: Harper, Cordone.

Booked: Glass.

Man City: Weaver, Wiekens, Dunne, Howey, Tiatto, Granville, Grant, Kanchelskis, Haaland (Charvet 62), Huckerby (Whitley 77), Goater.

Subs Not Used: Nash, Prior, Ostenstad.

Goals: Goater 61.

Att: 51,981

Ref: R Harris (Oxford).