ENGLAND’S World Cup preparations were rudely interrupted and Newcastle’s season thrown into potential ruin when Michael Owen broke his foot at White Hart Lane yesterday.

The striker’s injury, a fracture of the fifth metatarsal bone in his right foot, will keep him out for “several months”, according to Graeme Souness, his manager, meaning he is likely to miss his country’s first World Cup warm-up game on March 1 and will certainly be absent for a period that will make or break Newcastle’s season.

Souness’s team have stayed above the relegation zone this season only because of Owen’s goals in his intermittent appearances for the club. Having already spent more than £50m on players, Souness knows that he cannot be sure of being allowed even a loan signing to cover Owen’s absence. “You’ll have to ask the chairman,” was his reply when the subject of bringing a striker in during the January transfer window was raised.

Souness described yesterday as “an absolute disaster for him (Owen) and an absolute disaster for us. Even when you are not playing well, with Michael in the team you’ve always got a chance because of his goals. This was a dark day.

“Owen has broken his fifth metatarsal. He’s had it x-rayed and he will obviously be out for several months. It’s an almighty blow for us.”

Owen, who arrived in Newcastle last night on crutches, said: “If it’s any consolation, there’s plenty of time before the World Cup. I think it’s two-and-a-half or three months (recovery time). Loads of people have had it done.”

Owen sustained his injury when, in first-half stoppage time, he attempted to pounce on a loose ball in the Spurs area, only to be caught between Anthony Gardner and goalkeeper Paul Robinson. As play continued, Owen stayed down. When he got to his feet he was hobbling before making his way slowly down the tunnel at half-time, failing to appear for the second half.

Sven-Göran Eriksson, the England coach, was left hoping that Owen’s recovery is without complications. The usual rehabilitation time for metatarsal injuries is about 12 weeks, but England striker Wayne Rooney was out for longer when he sustained a similar injury in the Euro 2004 quarter-final against Portugal.

A long recovery period for Owen, whose season has already been interrupted by injury, would cause severe headaches for England. “I’m very disappointed for Michael. It’s very bad luck for him and for Newcastle,” Eriksson said last night. “Michael is a fantastic striker and a very important player for his club and for England. I hope he returns to fitness as soon as possible and I will follow his progress very closely.”

Newcastle’s woes were compounded when Shay Given, their goalkeeper, was x-rayed for a suspected broken hand. Souness said he did not expect to know the results of the injury until today.

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