Examinations revealed that Owen, 25, had sustained a dead leg and while the prognosis was not alarming — he should be fit for England’s World Cup qualifying fixtures against Austria and Poland this month — he is rated only 50-50 for the Barclays Premiership match away to Portsmouth today. Newcastle were further hampered by yet another injury setback for the luckless Kieron Dyer, who is deeply familiar with the sensation.

Since leaving Real Madrid for £16.5 million last month, Owen has helped to lift Newcastle from the foot of the table towards respectability, as well as banishing the gloom that had enveloped Tyneside. Any absence would be keenly felt, however temporary. With Albert Luque, another recent signing, out for six more weeks, the alternatives to partner Alan Shearer in attack are Shola Ameobi and Michael Chopra.

Graeme Souness is confident that Owen will be fit for international duty and the manager would not prevent the striker from meeting up with England, even if he failed to appear at Fratton Park. The situation with Dyer, however, is less comforting and it appears that the midfield player, who has a chronic record with hamstring and back injuries, has again broken down.

Dyer, 26, recently agreed a new four-year contract at Newcastle, but he has made only two league appearances for the club this season.

Souness had spoken with alacrity yesterday morning about reintroducing him to the side, but Dyer did not accompany the first-team squad on their flight to Portsmouth last night. It is understood that there has been a complication involving his hamstring.

“Since I have been at the club, it has been stop-start for him,” Souness said at his pre-game briefing. “There is no time when we have had a good run of games from him. It has been frustrating. The injury has not healed as well as we would like.”

In August, Dyer spent time in Germany consulting Dr Hans Müller-Wolfhart, who specialises in alternative medical treatment and whose noteworthy clients include Owen, Steven Gerrard and Paula Radcliffe, the long-distance runner. Having had his entire fitness programme reconstructed, there had been hope that Dyer’s longstanding problems might now dissolve, but that would appear to be wishful thinking.

Newcastle’s attempt to muster a third consecutive victory and three clean sheets in succession — a feat they have not achieved since January 2002 — has been undermined by the growing throng in their treatment-room. Nolberto Solano and Emre Belözoglu remain on the sidelines through injury, while both Scott Parker and Titus Bramble received knocks in training on Thursday.

Bramble has played only three times since recovering from a badly broken elbow and may be rested at Portsmouth, but that would represent a minor inconvenience to a chequered career. At the age of 24, a player who once seemed destined to be remembered for his antics off the pitch has re- invented himself as a half- decent footballer. “I had a chat with the gaffer when he first came and he told me a few things I needed to hear,” Bramble said. “My lifestyle has changed — it had to — and I don’t go out much any more.”