Owen faces new operation delay

England striker Michael Owen lies on the pitch after badly injuring his right knee during the World Cup match against Sweden on June 20. Owen will return to the United States in six weeks' time to undergo a second knee operation.

Michael Owen will return to the United States in six weeks' time to undergo a second knee operation.

The Newcastle striker, who ruptured a cruciate ligament in England's World Cup group clash against Sweden in Germany, must wait for the swelling in his knee to go down before he undergoes a second bout of surgery.

Owen awoke from the first operation to find that surgeons had only repaired the cartilage rather than the damage to the ligament damage itself.

"I'm just hoping the next (operation) can be successful. I have to make sure the knee is in a fit state and the swelling is down," he told The Sun.

"That way I can give myself the best possible chance of having the cruciate operation.

"The plan is to go back out there in six or seven weeks - hopefully, that will be the last I see of America."

Owen is pencilled in for further surgery under the supervision of knee specialist Dr Richard Steadman in September.

It is feared the striker could miss virtually the whole of the coming campaign.