Newcastle boss Bobby Robson has moved to improve his side's team spirit by insisting that English is the only language used at St James' Park.

The former England boss brings his side to Valley Parade tomorrow having lost just once in 11 games with that defeat coming to a disputed penalty against Roma in the UEFA Cup.

Robson has transformed the club since succeeding Ruud Gullit, whose spell in charge was dogged by rumours about dressing room unrest between the English and foreign players.

Many of them were brought to the North East by Gullit and Robson knew action was needed to tackle the unrest when he arrived. "To make sure there is no 'foreigners v the rest' division, English is spoken at all times at this club.

"Talking the same language is a huge asset on the pitch, where you need to absorb instructions instantly.

"And it's just as important when I'm giving team talks in hotels before a big match. You don't have to go through everything several times - everyone is singing the same tune.

"If the language barrier is a potential obstacle to dressing-room harmony, you try and avoid it. When our players don't get along with each other, it's a big disadvantage - but when they don't even speak a common language, it's a handicap. That's the fault I've tried to address."

Robson also took a swipe at Gullit's regime by saying that he has had to crack the whip in other areas.

"At lunchtime, the players would come in from training, eat what they wanted, when they wanted, and left when they felt like it," he added. "There was no sense of the togetherness you need to build a team and I stopped it immediately.

"We now come in at a set time and everybody breaks and eats together. Nobody can leave until I say so - and that is not until I see that everyone is finished and that they have all had their chit-chat and banter.

"It's something that worked well for me at PSV Eindhoven, where everyone spoke Dutch, and it's working here."

United will be without Nikos Dabizas tomorrow after the Greek picked up his fifth booking of the season recently and is likely to be replaced by local lad Aaron Hughes while Robson is also without several other key defenders.

Former England international Steve Howie is sidelined with the hamstring problem he picked up in United's recent 6-3 hammering against City's reserve side.

Alain Goma, the £3.75m capture from Paris St Germain, is also out while Franck Dumas will not figure due to injury.

Newcastle's recent form is in stark contrast to their early season displays under Gullit where confidence and results hit rock bottom.

United's lowest point of the campaign came with the 2-1 defeat at home to bitter rivals Sunderland where Alan Shearer was unbelievably left on the bench until the second half - a result which ultimately cost Gullit his job.

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