Derby game’s Owen goal

[Scottish Mag 3]

NEWCASTLE United will have Michael Owen back for their busy Christmas and New Year holiday period.

 

That was the good news from a bedridden but upbeat Sam Allardyce who was buoyed by Saturday’s last-gasp victory over Birmingham City at St James’s Park.

 

The United boss was laid low by the flu bug and watching a re-run of the Ricky Hatton fight when I spoke to him yesterday lunchtime and he said: “After the way we came back on Saturday I feel great.

 

“Now we are looking for more good news by getting some players back for Saturday’s game with Fulham at Craven Cottage.

 

“I have arranged a behind-closed doors game this week when we are hoping that the likes of Damien Duff, Abdoulaye Faye, Claudio Cacapa and Shola Ameobi will all play.

 

“Michael Owen will probably not play in it but we are expecting him back with the rest of the first-team squad nearer the end of the week.

 

“And while Saturday will probably come too early for him he should certainly be back for the game with Derby County at St James’s Park a week on Sunday.”

 

It is hard to believe that, because of a series of injuries, Owen has only started 21 games for United since Graeme Souness and Freddy Shepherd brought him to St James’s Park from Real Madrid in September 2005.

 

And it would not surprise me in the least if his former England boss Sven-Goran Eriksson slapped in a bid to take Owen to Manchester City in the January transfer window.

 

But what would complicate this is the fact that United have Oba Martins away on African Cup of Nations duty early next month and the Nigerian striker could miss up to six games.

 

However, Allardyce is more concerned about getting Owen, who is still one of the greatest goalscorers in the world, back in a black-and-white shirt.

 

The United boss added: “We created and missed a lot of chances against Blackburn Rovers last weekend and again against Birmingham City on Saturday.

 

“If we had taken some of these chances we could have had a comfortable 3-1 victory on Saturday instead of relying on Habib Beye’s last-minute winner.”

[toontoasey 0]

Good news that we are finally getting players back from injury, i just hope Owen doesnt break down again and takes his chance when he gets it and nets a few goals for us, Martins will be a big miss when he goes to the African nations.

[Jusoda Kid 1]

Should be lining up a replacement imo so we can get rid of this crock of injury prone shit in January then thats another parasite off the books

[Paul 0]

Good news but I'm past caring tbh. Only a matter of weeks until he has another spell on the sidelines

[MattM4 0]

Good news but I'm past caring tbh. Only a matter of weeks until he has another spell on the sidelines

Indeed, just use him as much as possible for the two games he'll be available for then forget about him again for a month.