Alan Shearer has promised revenge when Southampton visit Tyneside on Sunday.

Five months ago Ruud Gullit took his misfiring side to The Dell looking for a first Premiership point after two successive defeats in their opening encounters of the 1999-2000 season.

They returned north having witnessed a shocking 4-2 defeat which left Gullit's players demoralised and ultimately set the Dutchman on the road back to Amsterdam.

But Dave Jones' Saints will arrive in the north-east to face a side brimming with confidence and Shearer is keen to redress the balance.

"A lot has changed at this football club in that time. We're looking as if we're going in the right direction now and long may it continue," Shearer said.

"It does seem a million miles away. It was a poor performance from us. We didn't deserve anything and we didn't get anything.

"Hopefully we can take the three points on Sunday and get ourselves pushing up the league."

Changes likely

Manager Bobby Robson is likely to make few changes to the side which defeated Sheffield United 4-1 in the FA Cup fourth round last Saturday, although for once he has an embarrassment of riches.

Midfielder Rob Lee, who missed out last week with a hip injury, remains a doubt and will not be risked if he is not 100% fit.

But other than that the manager has almost a full squad from which to select with Steve Howey, who has been out since April with an Achilles injury, Helder, Alain Goma and Andy Griffin all back in the fold after extended lay-offs.

Southampton central defender Dean Richards, mesnwhile, is facing a battle to be fit.

The former Wolves star was forced to pull out of last weekend's FA Cup defeat at Aston Villa after.

Richards twisted an ankle in the win over his former club Bradford and the long-standing Achilles problem he has suffered since the summer has also restricted his training this week.

Francis Benali is expected to play in the centre of defence alongside Richards if he makes it, with midfielder Jo Tessem also on stand-by to drop back in a makeshift defence.

Richards is one of several injury worries for Southampton manager Dave Jones, with Lundekvam joined on the casualty list by Matthew Le Tissier, Chris Marsden and Jason Dodd.