Owen makes case for Newcastle survival and England recall

AFP - 18 March 2008 08:21

Newcastle United´s English forward Michael Owen (C) vies with Birmingham City´s Irish midfielder Damien Johnson (L) and Birmingham City´s English midfielder Fabrice Muamba during the English Premier league football match at St Andrews, Birmingham. The match ended in a 1-1 draw.

BIRMINGHAM (AFP) - Kevin Keegan is backing Michael Owen to provide the goals that will keep Newcastle in the Premier League and insists the injury-plagued sat will triker remains a "world class" asset to his squad.

Owen may have played his way back into the England squad for next week's friendly in France after scoring a vital equaliser in Monday night's relegation battle with Birmingham under the watching eye of Fabio Capello.

The England boss witnessed Owen net for the third time in six games in the 1-1 draw at St Andrews and Keegan believes the former Liverpool and Real Madrid striker is close to reestablishing himself as a feared match-winner.

"I've said for five or six weeks now that Michael is getting back to full sharpness," Keegan said.

"Goalscorers need to get in the positions just to familiarise themselves with how it was like when they've been out for along time.

"You don't just suddenly get match fit and then suddenly go and score goals. No striker does. It takes time but he is getting there. This is the first time he's got to eight games in a row for about two and a half years with the injuries.

"I think some people in this country might be losing a bit of faith but just look at his record. Even for Newcastle, his record is fantastic by anyone's standards.

"He is a clinical finisher and a very clever player. Michael is top quality and a world-class player, make no mistake about that. I don't know what the England manager thinks, but that's what I think."

James McFadden had given Birmingham a deserved half-time lead, punishing an error by Abdoulaye Faye after 33 minutes.

But Owen displayed his famous predatory instincts ten minutes after the break, reacting far quicker than the Birmingham defenders after Maik Taylor had parried a drive from Obafemi Martins.

Newcastle remain in danger of being dragged into the relegation dogfight. They have not won in 13 matches in the league and are just four points clear of the drop zone.

But Keegan is optimistic that, with Owen, Mark Viduka and Martins all finally fit, he will not have to wait too long for his side's first win since his return to the manager's chair at St James' Park.

Newcastle played with all three strikers at St Andrews on Monday night and Keegan hinted that he could continue with the attacking line-up.

"It went very well," he said. "I asked Michael to play a bit deeper but he keeps the ball so well and has such great awareness that he could play anywhere."

Birmingham boss Alex McLeish was satisfied with a point that edged his side a tiny bit further away from the bottom three.

"If we had won, it wouldn't have meant we would be safe and if we had lost, it wouldn't have meant we would be relegated," the Scot said.

"It is what happens next which is the key, not what has happened before. There are plenty of points to play for, for everyone, and it is going to be a battle but this was a point in the right direction."