Uefa Cup Preview/Sp. Lisbon v Newcastle, Jose Alvalade, 8.15pm: A year to the day since Newcastle United overcame PSV Eindhoven in the Uefa Cup quarter-final second leg, Laurent Robert was asked if this season's black-and-white version is better than last. Robert replied: "No, probably worse."

The French left-winger has never been a Geordie tub-thumper, in fact Robert seems to have been talking about leaving Newcastle ever since he arrived for £10.5 million from Paris St-Germain four years ago. But even by his idiosyncratic nature this was spectacular timing. He described Newcastle's form as "awful".

Newcastle are defending a 1-0 first-leg lead against Sporting Lisbon tonight. They are beset by injuries - Irish goalkeeper Shay Given trained last night but remains a slight doubt with a hip injury - and the fallout from the Bowyer-Dyer incident has masked three poor league performances against Portsmouth, Aston Villa and Tottenham.

Robert has started each of those games, but has also been withdrawn in seven consecutive matches. The manager Graeme Souness distrusts Robert and when he reads the winger's latest offering, resentment will be lacing that distrust.

Standing outside Newcastle's training ground before the flight to Lisbon, Robert was asked if this season's side compares favourably with the team that defeated PSV, but was beaten by two Didier Drogba goals for Marseille in the semi-finals.

"No, I don't think so," Robert responded. "Are we the same? No, probably worse. I don't think we are playing as well this season as last. We have not played well in the last three games. We have been very, very bad. We were awful against Villa and lost at Tottenham. We are not playing good football." One cannot imagine the Newcastle dressingroom being inspired by this, but then Robert's motivation has long been personal.

With Manchester United waiting in the FA Cup semi-final on Sunday, plenty of fans consider Europe the better option to end Newcastle's trophy drought. An exit tonight would not go down well and would surely have implications for Sunday.

SPORTING LISBON (probable, 4-1-3-2) Ricardo; Rogerio, Beto, Polga, Rui Jorge; Custodio; Rochemback, Moutinho, Martins; Sa Pinto, Niculae.

NEWCASTLE UNITED (probable, 4-4-2) Harper or Given; Carr, O'Brien, Taylor, Babayaro; Jenas, Faye, Bowyer, Robert; Shearer, Dyer.