Owen set to return to action early

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LONDON, England -- England international striker Michael Owen should be fit to play for Newcastle before the end of the season, his manager Glenn Roeder said on Sunday.

Owen suffered a cruciate knee ligament injury at last year's World Cup and looked set to miss the entire Premier League season, but Roeder revealed his rehabilitation is progressing ahead of schedule.

"Michael Owen has been out all week on the grass, running hard," Roeder told Sportsweek on BBC Radio Five Live.

"He's working on getting back to full fitness. Michael is running very hard every day.

"He's much happier and there's a distinct possibility we'll get a few games out of him this year. We have to be positive and Michael believes he can play this season.

"We believe he can as well but if he can't it won't be a big crisis because we didn't think after the operation he would play again this year. But he's done so well."

Roeder believes Newcastle, who are ninth in the Premiership and are still in the UEFA Cup, have acquitted themselves well this season given their lengthy injury list.

"For five months we've carried eight, nine, 10 senior players injured. I've never been able to put Michael Owen on my teamsheet," he said.

"Considering that, and we don't have a big squad anyway, I think the boys have done incredibly well.

"We're out of the FA Cup so now the UEFA Cup becomes very important."

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