NEWCASTLE manager Alan Shearer has resolved his differences with Obafemi Martins, and the striker will return to the squad for Sunday’s trip to Tottenham provided his groin injury heals in time.

Shearer was furious when Martins was forced to withdraw from last weekend’s 1-1 draw at Stoke on the morning of the game, having spent most of the previous week working on a 3-4-3 formation that relied heavily on the Nigerian’s pace.

Martins, who underwent a hernia operation in January and exacerbated an ongoing groin problem in Nigeria’s World Cup qualifier with Mozambique on March 29, woke on Saturday morning complaining of intense pain.

He subsequently played no part in Newcastle’s draw at the Britannia Stadium, and Shearer claimed he was “not happy” at the striker’s lastminute withdrawal.

However, following clearthe- air-talks on Monday, the Magpies manager has softened his stance, and sent Martins for a series of scans that will ascertain the full extent of the damage.

Shearer remains hopeful the 24-year-old will be passed fit for Sunday’s trip to Spurs, and provided that happens, he will be an immediate addition to the squad.

“There hasn’t been a falling out with Obafemi Martins and the matter has been dealt with,” said Newcastle assistant Iain Dowie, who was at the club’s Longbenton training ground yesterday working on tactics to combat a Tottenham side unbeaten in their last 12 home games. “It’s gone and it’s in the past and he has said he is fully behind the cause here.

“We never said there wasn’t an injury. All Alan expressed was his disappointment that he had not been told until 11:15am on Saturday morning which was too late.

“It was disappointing, that’s all, because we had been working on a system all week and then had to scrap it at the last minute because of the injury to Oba.

“There is no bad feeling. He has gone away for a scan and hopefully the prognosis will be a good one and he will be back involved quickly because he is an important player for us, no doubt.

“The communication should have been better, but to be fair to Oba he was desperate to be involved and maybe that was why he kept quiet.”

Martins has struggled with injury for the majority of the campaign, starting just 17 of Newcastle’s 32 Premier League matches and scoring seven goals.

It is understood he was reluctant to outline the full extent of his problems to Shearer, a figure who had previously criticised him during his previous incarnation as a pundit on Match of the Day.

“I understand why the manager was frustrated because he had to change his plans,”

said Martins. “But I woke up in so much pain that I knew I could not give 100 per cent, so I decided I couldn’t play.

“I didn’t want to let the team down. And with so many important games coming up, I needed to think about staying fit for the future.”

Martins’ continued absence would represent a significant blow to a Newcastle side that are currently two points adrift of safety.

Michael Owen has failed to make an impact since returning from injury last month, and Shola Ameobi performed poorly before he was substituted in the 70th-minute of last weekend’s game.

Andy Carroll impressed as Ameobi’s replacement, and having brought the 20-yearold in from the cold since arriving as Joe Kinnear’s replacement, Shearer is considering throwing another young striker into the fray.

Eighteen-year-old Nile Ranger is still to make his senior debut, but after he was an unused substitute at the Britannia Stadium, the teenager could make a surprise appearance at White Hart Lane.

“If you’re good enough, it doesn’t matter what age you are,” said Shearer. “If he can add something to the team, I would have no fear about putting him on.

“I said to all the guys in the reserves, ‘How you play and how you train will determine to me whether you have a part to play trying to help Newcastle United’. I’ve seen a response from all of them, including Nile Ranger and Andy Carroll.”