Owen Certain To Start Season In Black And White

When asked if the £17m star would be at St James' Park, Allardyce told the Chronicle: "100% yes."

Alan Shearer is convinced that Michael Owen will still be a Newcastle United player at the start of next season simply because no club would risk big money on him until he has proved he can last a full season.

The question still hasn't been aswered by Owen - is he staying or is he going - but the reporters I spoke to this morning still insist he is leaving his options open, waiting for his dream club Liverpool to make a move.

It was Shearer who helped United pull off the £17m signing of Owen from Real Madrid two years ago, and the ex-England skipper still believes there are a lot more Newcastle games to come for his old striking partner.

Shearer: "I am sure there are lots of people who want to ask me whether I think Michael Owen will be at Newcastle next season.

"To be honest, I don't think anyone would be prepared to pay £10m or £11m for him until they have seen him play for five or six months.

"So if anyone says to me `will he be here next season' I would have to say yes, I think he will be. And I also think him playing up front with Mark Viduka will be a great partnership for United.

As for Viduka who is away with Australia at the moment, Allardyce added: "I would love to say on August 11 we'll start with Shola Ameobi, Oba, Michael and Mark Viduka.

"Of course, Mark's playing in the Asian Cup at the moment.

"The start to the season, for him, could be difficult, having done a season at Middlesbrough and then going away at the end of June until the end of July.

"We might have to rest him at the start of the Premiership, so having four strikers of the quality we've got might be very important.

"We could ill afford any of those three to get injured if Mark comes back and is not capable of starting the season because of the demands of the Far East."