MICHAEL Owen is backing himself to be playing for Newcastle United before the end of the season, but believes the Wear-Tyne derby on April 17 will be a week too early for his return.

The £16m striker is desperate to prove his fitness ahead of this summer's World Cup, and believes he will be back playing in four weeks.

The 26-year-old underwent futher surgery on the broken bone in his foot last week, and admitted to feeling down when told of the need for another operation.

But, according to Owen, Friday's operation went well and he expects to be back for the home match against West Brom - five days after the Easter Monday game against Sunderland.

"I have to admit I was a bit down when the surgeon rang last week to say he was advising me to go back into hospital," said the striker, who fractured a metatarsal in his right foot in a Barclays Premiership game at Tottenham on December 31.

"But it was my brother who pointed out that there are still 11 weeks until the World Cup starts. I should be back in four.

"That leaves plenty of time to get my full fitness and, as for scoring goals, I have been doing that all my life and I will have all the same instincts when I am 50.

"There is always a scare or two before a tournament but, if this is as bad as it gets for England, then we should be pretty well off.

"There is just one bit of the bone that needs another helping hand and Friday's operation, which went well, should do that.

"I expect to be playing in four weeks, which, hopefully, gives me the chance to finish the season with Newcastle.

"The club and the fans have been great to me and I want to pay them back."

Owen had a screw inserted in his foot in January and doctors decided that screw should be replaced and tightened.

He was expected to return to hospital yesterday to have a protective cover fitted.

England captain David Beckham broke a metatarsal in the build-up to the 2002 World Cup finals in Japan and South Korea and was below his best when the tournament got underway.

"I have heard people compare it to David's injury and ask whether the manager should be taking players if they are not fully fit," Owen said.

"I'm not expecting that to be an issue. I am expecting to go to Germany 100 per cent fit."

Owen's fellow striker Albert Luque, meanwhile, could step up his bid for a first-team recall by playing for the reserves at Aston Villa tonight.

Luque has not been included in the starting XI since the 1-0 home defeat by Blackburn on January 21, but caretaker boss Glenn Roeder is convinced the £9.5m signing can be a success at St James' Park.

"I have a good relationship with Albert, and he is the first to admit he has found life difficult during his first season in the Premiership," Roeder said.

"He was quite surprised by the pace of the Premiership. The Premiership is high-tempo all the time, whereas Spanish football is quick-quick-slow-quick-slow.

"It did not help him he sustained a really horrible hamstring injury during his first couple of weeks here, and that has taken a long time to repair."

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