MICHAEL Owen informed Sam Allardyce he was fit to start against Everton on Sunday but his club manager decided he wasn't.

When it comes to Newcastle United there's only one winner in that argument and it's never the player.

Allardyce gave him 15 minutes - enough time for Owen to score and prove he was fit enough to join up with his international team-mates.

When he does link-up with England he will no doubt inform his international coach he is fit to start against Estonia and Russia and the likelihood is that Steve McClaren won't follow Allardyce's lead.

The England boss is still desperately in need of points to keep Russia at arms length with a win at Wembley and at least a draw in Moscow the minimum return from the next two games.

To ensure he gets that return he will need Owen for both games.

Dean Ashton and Andy Johnson are out, Peter Crouch and Jermain Defoe are fringe players for their respective clubs and Wayne Rooney hasn't scored a competitive goal for his country since the Euro finals in Portugal more than three years ago.

Owen has 40 goals in 85 internationals and three in his last two. It appears clear that McClaren has little option but to play him from the start in both games and keep his fingers crossed that his talisman doesn't pick up an injury.

If he does then McClaren and Owen will have some explaining to do to Allardyce.