Owen still on course for World Cup after scare

Michael Owen trains at England's training session at Manchester United's training ground at Carrington, in November 2005. Owen is still on course for the World Cup despite suffering a scare in Newcastle's 0-0 draw at Birmingham.

Striker Michael Owen is still on course for the World Cup despite suffering a scare in Newcastle's 0-0 draw at Birmingham.

The England hit-man came off the bench and played 30 minutes in his return from a broken foot but after Saturday's match he complained about feeling pain in the same foot.

However, an x-ray on Sunday morning revealed there was no fresh damage and Owen should be fit to spearhead England's World Cup campaign in Germany from June 9.

A Newcastle spokesman said: "Michael saw the specialist first thing this morning and had an x-ray and undertook various tests.

"The results were positive - there is no damage and the specialist said that it was quite normal for a certain level of pain to be experienced in the first couple of games back after an injury of this type."

It was the second striker worry for England on Saturday after Manchester United's Wayne Rooney broke a bone in his foot during the early kick-off match at Stamford Bridge against Chelsea.

Rooney now faces a race against time to fit for England's title tilt. However the Owen news will be a relief to England boss Sven-Goran Eriksson.