SAM ALLARDYCE is not a believer in squad rotation and insists the two most in-form strikers will start for Newcastle United this season.

With Michael Owen expected to increase his match fitness by playing for England against Germany tonight, Allardyce faces a selection dilemma once the forward is 100 per cent fit.

Owen's return has sparked renewed speculation about the future of £10m signing Obafemi Martins, ahead of Sunday's meeting with Middlesbrough at the Riverside Stadium.

Allardyce has previously indicated Owen and Martins are competing for one place, and Manchester United are the latest club to be considering a move for the Nigerian.

A £13m clause exists in the former Inter Milan player's contract that would allow interested clubs to talk to him if the release-fee was triggered.

But the fact his future has again been brought into question after months of uncertainty, indicates that Allardyce is willing to sell one of his forwards.

The arrival of Alan Smith from Old Trafford means Newcastle now have five strikers competing for two or three places, depending on the side's formation.

And with Mark Viduka and Shola Ameobi likely to be the two used as target-men, there would appear to be one too many strikers on Newcastle's books.

"We've got five top-class strikers at Newcastle now in Michael Owen, Mark Viduka, Obafemi Martins, Shola Ameobi and Alan Smith. I've been asked how I can keep them all happy, but the truth is I don't know yet," Allardyce said.

"But I can tell you this - I will be playing the best two strikers in the best form at the time and the others will have to be patient. I won't be going in for rotation because I don't have European competition to worry about.

"Rafael Benitez, at Liverpool, needs to rotate because he will have 60 games to get through. I will have 38, plus however many games we play in the cup competitions. The only thing that will matter to me is who is on form."