Owen to miss key England matches

Michael Owen has been ruled out of England's two Euro 2008 qualifiers in October with a torn groin muscle.

The 27-year-old striker will see a specialist on Thursday to determine whether he also needs an operation.

It had been thought that Owen had a hernia but it now appears he has a stomach weakness that may need surgery.

"He will be back for the first game after the England internationals at the very, very earliest," said Newcastle manager Sam Allardyce.

"The full picture is that he has not got a hernia but there may be a weakness in the stomach area which may have contributed to his 3cm abductor muscle tear," he added.

Newcastle's first game after the international break is against Tottenham on 22 October.

Owen is thought to have seen a surgeon in Bradford earlier this week to find out the extent of his stomach problem.

It has been suggested that as a result of his findings, Owen will have keyhole surgery on Friday in Germany.

Renowned Germany surgeon Ulrike Muschaweck, who has previously performed surgery on the likes of Alan Shearer, Steve Harper and Stephen Carr, is expected to carry out the operation.

Allardyce said: "While Owen is out for two or three weeks with the tear we are sending him to a specialist in Germany who will assess him.

"Her track record in that area is the best in the world, she's managed to develop her own procedure that takes that type of operation from what used to be six weeks' recovery to two or three so that's why we use her.

"If there is any surgery needed to strengthen the area - not repair a hernia - that will be undertaken there.

"That should clear up both problems and allow Michael Owen to hopefully push on to play more and more games on a regular basis.

"For him and for us it's disappointing but we have to manage and get on with it."

Allardyce also stressed that Owen would not risk picking up further injuries by returning too soon.

"He is more sensible than that and knows that the consequences of coming back too early are so grave if you get re-injured," he said.

"You can extend the period of recovery so that it's twice as long.

"If our medical staff don't consider he is capable at that particular time we will be patient and make sure he is fully recovered before we stick him back into the fray."

England face crucial Euro 2008 qualifiers at home to Estonia and then away in Russia on 13 and 17 October respectively.

Owen, who spent most of last season on the sidelines after damaging knee ligaments in the World Cup, netted three times in September's qualifying victories over Israel and Russia.

But he limped out of Newcastle's 3-1 win over West Ham on Sunday and was also substituted during the previous game, a 1-0 defeat at Derby.

England boss Steve McClaren is already without Emile Heskey, Owen's strike partner in the games against Israel and Russia, for the vital matches in October.

The Wigan striker suffered a broken metatarsal on 15 September but Wayne Rooney and Peter Crouch are available again after injury and suspension respectively.