Newcastle manager Glenn Roeder has delivered a bitter-sweet verdict on the fitness of the club's two big-name strikers, Alan Shearer and Michael Owen.

In naming goalkeeper Shay Given as captain for the remaining three matches of the Premiership campaign, Roeder has virtually written off Shearer's hopes of playing again.

But Roeder was still playing the role of eternal optimist ahead of a definitive scan later today for Shearer on the medial-ligament damage sustained to his left knee in Monday's 4-1 win at Sunderland.

Owen, who has not played for four months after breaking a metatarsal bone in a foot against Tottenham on New Year's Eve, could be on the bench for next Saturday's visit to Birmingham.

It is the fate of Shearer, though, that continues to dominate, with Roeder yesterday reported as saying: "Alan has already had a scan which revealed quite serious medial-ligament damage.

"In the normal scheme of things we would be talking about eight to 12 weeks as the recovery period."

Roeder today was trying to be more positive, claiming: "There is no point trying to predict accurately how long Alan will be out until we have the results of the scan.

"But that [eight to 12 weeks] is the possibility if Alan doesn't get the result he wants, although he is remaining - as he has always been in his life - an eternal optimist.

"He is staying positive that he will still be able to play some part in what is left of this season, but at the moment we are guessing.

"There's nothing wrong with being positive. It can't slow an injury down, and if anything I don't see why it can't help in recovery.

"There's no medical proof of that, but I'm sure if you can stay upbeat and be positive, then it will give you a better chance."

Owen. meanwhile, is now on the brink of making his comeback, and at the right time with the England World Cup squad due to be named on May 8th.

Roeder added: "He is doing plenty of running and striking the ball hard, and after receiving good news yesterday from his consultant surgeon, he can now step things up."

"Early next week there is a chance he will be training with us, and after that we'll see if he makes the bench for the Birmingham game.

"If he doesn't, then we can look at him for the final game of the season at home to Chelsea. But I'm not ruling him out for the Birmingham game, and after speaking with him yesterday, neither is he." PA