Shearer, who spent a decade with his home-town club before retiring last summer, has been impressed with their start to the new season and is confident a top-six finish is within their capabilities.

Asked what would be a realistic target, he said: "Europe, I think. I don't think there is anything to fear in the league.

"The top four will be there and it's anyone's places after that.

"It (Newcastle's start) has been very good. I don't think anyone can have any room to complain. It's been positive, and long may it continue.

"There's a hell of a lot of new players for a start. It's almost a new team.

"Confidence is very high after the start, and we are all hoping that continues."

Allardyce's men went into the international break sitting in sixth place in the Barclays Premier League after Saturday's 1-0 home win over Wigan.

That came courtesy of Michael Owen's 83rd-minute header - the 27-year-old's second goal in two starts since his return from injury.

Shearer, who played alongside Owen for both club and country, has no doubt that the former Liverpool and Real Madrid hitman will make a major contribution this season provided he gets the service he needs.

He said: "So long as people are creating chances for him, he will get goals.

"He has proved that wherever he has played at whatever level, so I am not telling anyone anything they don't already know."

Goals were rarely a problem for the Magpies during Shearer's spell on Tyneside - he scored a club record 206 during his 10 seasons.

However, clean sheets were more of a rarity and successive managers spent millions on trying to eradicate the club's defensive frailty.

But Allardyce's summer recruitment drive has seen Brazilian Claudio Cacapa and David Rozehnal tighten things up at the back, and Shearer has been impressed.

He said: "They look solid, and that's a credit to the players he has brought in, and obviously Sam as well for the work he has done.

"He has obviously done his homework on the players and they look solid, so it is a decent combination.

"The new Brazilian has only played a couple of games, but in the two games he has played, he has impressed me.

"Rozehnal has had a solid start as well, so it's great."

Allardyce has also managed to find a solution to the problem he inherited at left-back with France Under-21 international Charles N'Zogbia having performed admirably as a makeshift defender.

Shearer told the club's official website, www.nufc.co.uk: "He was unsettled last year and there were one or two rumours about him wanting to leave, but Sam has come in and obviously had a chat to him and played him in a different position.

"If anything, he has probably been the player of the season up to now. In the five games he has impressed me probably more than anyone."