"I would think it would be a couple of weeks before I can join in training, " the 27-year-old said. "I am kicking and running straight as hard as I like, and then it is the twisting and turning."

Owen recovered from a broken metatarsal bone in time to travel to the World Cup with England only to suffer his knee injury in the third group game against Sweden and his return would be a welcome boost to a Newcastle team chasing a European spot.

Newcastle manager Glenn Roeder has also moved quickly to deny that Owen will leave the club in the summer should the Magpies fail to secure a Uefa Cup spot.

Meanwhile Chris Coleman has branded the Premiership fixture list "nonsense". The Fulham boss is upset that his side are playing only two matches in nearly four weeks because of the FA Cup and international fixtures.

"The fixtures amaze me because at the start of the season you play three games in the first week, " he said. "Then towards the end of the season when the players are fighting fit, you have a two-week break and we've got just two games in a month."

Coleman is particularly annoyed because he is keen for Fulham to secure their Premiership safety as soon as possible. He added: "It's nonsense but we have to get on with it and it's the same for everybody. We want games thick and fast because we want to seal our fate."

Fulham are seven points above the relegation zone, but Coleman says Manchester City, Wigan and Sheffield United are under the greatest pressure. "This is the business end of the season. March, April and May are where teams are either celebrating or very unhappy. That's when you found out your fate, " he said.

"The pressure isn't on Charlton so much as they're already been written off, as have West Ham. They went through all of that just before Christmas when they were losing games. But the pressure is on Wigan, Manchester City, Sheffield United and a little bit on us as well.

"We've been clear of it but the pressure is on us not to get sucked into the dogfight, whereas Charlton and West Ham are saying they have nothing to lose because they're been down there all year."