ALAN Shearer has launched an impassioned defence of under-fire Newcastle skipper Michael Owen, warning the misfiring striker’s critics: “Write him off at your peril.”

Reports in yesterday’s Daily Express suggested Owen was ready to quit football at the end of the season to forge a new career as a racehorse trainer, claims that were immediately rebuffed in a statement released by the player’s representatives, who later confimed legal action against the newspaper.

The speculation follows one of the worst seasons of Owen’s career, with the erstwhile England international, who is out of contract this summer, having scored just once since December 13.

The 28-year-old was dropped to the substitutes’ bench as Newcastle lost at Liverpool earlier this month, but made a winning return to the starting line-up in Monday’s crucial Tyne-Tees derby win over Middlesbrough.

And with Shearer expected to retain Owen in his starting XI for this afternoon’s home game with Fulham, despite the striker sitting out yesterday’s training sessions at St James’ Park as a precautionary measure.

The match could all but secure Newcastle’s Premier League status and the Magpies manager has leapt to the defence of his former club and international team-mate.

“I’ve heard about one or two of the reports, but there’s absolutely no truth in them whatsoever,” said Shearer, who famously put off his own retirement after stating he would hang up his boots at the end of the 2004-05 season.

“Michael has said that himself.

“I think he’s still as driven as he ever was, and for anyone to suggest that he’s not is a sleight on him. People don’t really know his character if that’s the case. He’s still in love with football, there’s no doubt about that. I know that, so if anyone suggests differently, they’re wrong.

“Write Michael Owen off at your peril. I am still 100 per cent convinced that if we give him chances, he will score goals.”

Newcastle made their most recent contract offer to Owen in December, a three-year deal worth around £70,000-a-week plus extensive add-ons that was withdrawn in late January.

The former Liverpool and Real Madrid striker opted not to sign it, but while Everton, Manchester City and Celtic have all been linked with a possible summer swoop, no one has made a formal approach to Owen’s representatives, as the terms of his current deal would allow.

Provided the Magpies survive in the top-flight this month, Newcastle officials will have to decide whether to make a renewed approach to their current skipper’s representatives. As things stand, Shearer is not guaranteed to be the man making the final decision on Owen’s future, but while he was reluctant to say too much given the uncertainty that surrounds his own position in relation to the recuperating Joe Kinnear, the Newcastle boss gave a strong enough hint to outline what his own position is likely to be if he is asked to stay on at St James’ Park this summer.

“As a Newcastle fan, I would want him in a Newcastle shirt next season, as long as it’s in the Premier League,” he said.

“I still believe that Michael Owen in a Premier League side will score goals. I’ve no doubt about that. I’m convinced of it, if he gets the chances.

“I speak to Michael on a regular basis and he’s like any other centre-forward – you go through times when you score, and you go through times when you don’t score.

“But from a manager’s point of view, the biggest question is ‘Is it affecting their work rate and performance?’ The answer to that is no, it’s not affecting that at all.”

But what about Owen’s selfconfessed love of horse racing?

Might the striker’s burgeoning interest in the Sport of Kings be affecting his performances in the penalty box?

Owen owns a string of horses that are trained, at his own Manor House Stables near Chester, by Nicky Vaughan, and has previously spoken of his desire to move into both training and breeding when his playing career is at an end.

“What’s wrong with that,”

asked Shearer, when asked to comment on Owen’s horseracing interests.

“I have a hobby of golf and I love it. It’s not a business of mine, but there are other players in the Premier League that run businesses as well as playing football. Other people run businesses and have hobbies – Michael is no different. He’s a big-name player that’s all.”

He will continue in the starting line-up this afternoon, with Obafemi Martins again on the bench despite scoring within a minute of his introduction on Monday.

The Nigerian is nursing a groin injury and will be used as an impact player in the final two games of the season.

Monday’s 3-1 win lifted the Magpies out of the bottom three for the first time in two months, and means they can all but guarantee their survival today if they beat Fulham and Hull City lose at Bolton.

The hosts will start as favourites, but with seventhplaced Fulham hoping to qualify for the Europa League this month, Shearer admits his players can’t afford to take anything for granted.

“There is a belief around the place, and so there should be,” he said.

“But it won’t just happen against Fulham – we have to go out and make it happen again.

“We have to force the pace, and if we show the same hunger, desire and application as we showed the other night, there won’t be any complaints.

“But we can’t just sit back and rely on that happening.

We are playing against a very good Fulham side who are well-organised and hard to beat. They might only have won two away from home, but they’ve drawn eight and that would suggest they’re tough.

They’re flying this season, so it will be a lot harder than it was against Middlesbrough.”