Newcastle United have dismissed claims that England striker Michael Owen has suffered a setback is his recovery from a fractured metatarsal in an injury he picked up in Newcastle's Premiership encounter against Spurs.

Reports suggested that the 26-year-old had been forced to withdraw from training and had undergone new scans, but the Magpies caretaker boss Glenn Roeder was quick to confirm the tests were a planned part of his rehabilitation.

“To suggest Michael Owen has had a setback is ridiculous,” Roeder told the club's official website.

“People have to realise that in modern football, with all the technology we have, Michael's programme was mapped out right back from the time of the injury.

“Part of that programme includes periodical scans and X-rays to make sure that everything is progressing as it should be.

“Michael had an X-ray and a scan on Monday as part of that programme. The results were very good and there was nothing on them that was of any concern for either us, or Michael,” continued the ex-West Ham manager.

“He missed a couple of days at the training ground, but that's because his surgeon is based in Manchester, so it was nothing out of the ordinary. Michael is back in the gym in Newcastle today.

“We accurately assess what stage players are at during their rehabilitation and Michael Owen is where we thought he would be at this stage of his recovery.'

Owen broke the metatarsal bone in his foot during Newcastle’s 2-0 Premiership defeat away to Tottenham Hotspur on December 31 and after undergoing surgery, predicted that he would be back playing for the final month of the season.

Roeder has not entirely given up hope of him being fit for the FA Cup quarter-final trip to Chelsea later this month, although he admits it is more likely that the England striker will return to full-fitness at the start of April.

England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson, who will be relying heavily on the former Liverpool and Real Madrid star during this summer’s World Cup Finals in Germany, is monitoring Owen’s progress closely.

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