MICHAEL Owen will join in his first full training session for more than a week this morning but the Newcastle skipper is only expected to make the substitutes’ bench for tomorrow’s relegation decider at Aston Villa.

Owen has spent most of this week training with the Magpies’ medical staff as he recovers from the groin strain that kept him out of last weekend’s 1-0 defeat to Fulham.

The striker will train with the rest of the squad this morning, and will be included in Newcastle’s 18-man squad provided he comes through an extended session unscathed.

But with Alan Shearer adamant that his side cannot afford to make as slow a start as the one they produced against Fulham last weekend, Owen is unlikely to make the starting line-up following a two-week lay-off.

“We’re hopeful Michael will make it,” said the Newcastle boss. “But he hasn’t trained fully yet this week.

“He’s been training with the physio, and he’s been working pretty hard. The plan is for him to join in full training (this morning) and then we’ll take things from there.”

Owen’s return would represent a timely boost to a Newcastle side that have failed to score in three of their last five away games, but with Mark Viduka and Obafemi Martins both available, Shearer’s biggest selection headache is at the other end of the field.

Sebastien Bassong is suspended following his dismissal in last weekend’s defeat to the Cottagers, while Habib Beye has been ruled out despite travelling to Germany in a last-ditch attempt to treat his damaged hamstring.

Beye is Newcastle’s only natural right-back, and while Ryan Taylor slotted into the position after Bassong was sent off against Fulham, handling the threat of Clint Dempsey is markedly different to dealing with the pace and incision of Aston Villa winger Ashley Young.

With Steven Taylor sure to start in one of the centre-half positions, Bassong’s absence is likely to result in the inconsistent Fabricio Coloccini being recalled to line up against John Carew, despite his previous struggles in the air.

In the only piece of defensive good news Shearer has received this week, Jose Enrique is poised to return at left-back after missing five of Newcastle’s last six matches with a hamstring injury.

“Jose will definitely be in the squad,” confirmed Shearer.

“That gives us another option in the absence of Sebastien and Habib.”

While Newcastle must avoid defeat to have any chance of surviving in the top-flight, they are also reliant on Hull City failing to beat a Manchester United side that is likely to be missing a number of the club’s biggest stars.

With Sir Alex Ferguson devoting most of his attention to next week’s Champions League final against Barcelona, the likes of Ben Amos, Federico Macheda, Danny Wellbeck and Darron Gibson are all expected to start at the KC Stadium.

There has been talk of possible legal action if a weakened Manchester United team contrives to help Hull stay in the Premier League, but Shearer insists Newcastle will have no one to blame but themselves if they end tomorrow afternoon in the Championship.

“Who am I to tell Sir Alex Ferguson what to do,” he said.

“I know he will put out a team that will be of a good enough stature to win the game.

“The worst three teams over 38 games will go down and no one can have a complaint about that. Whatever happens on Sunday will happen – whether we finish third, fourth or fifth bottom we - will deserve to be there.”