Michael Owen scored the most important goal of his truncated Newcastle United career last night, earning his side a precious point in their fight against relegation and easing the pressure on Kevin Keegan, his manager. While a 1-1 draw with Birmingham City extended the club’s sequence without victory to 13 Barclays Premier League matches, their second-half performance demonstrated spirit and character.

Keegan has overseen nine games in all competitions since replacing Sam Allardyce in January and, although he is yet to see his side record a win, there were positive signs at St Andrew’s. Having conceded a goal to James McFadden during a dreadful first half, Newcastle responded with vigour. Even that minimum requirement has been absent recently.

Watched by Fabio Capello, the England manager, Owen scored his seventh goal of the season in the 56th minute, an intervention that was greeted with relief by Keegan. Owen’s spell on Tyneside has hardly been triumphant, with his questionable fitness compounded by doubts about his loyalty and now his international place, but he played a captain’s role last night.

“We’re starting to create a bit more now,” Keegan said, “and the one thing you know with Michael is that he’ll stick them in. You’re more surprised when he misses. At least I am. Some people in this country might be losing a bit of faith, but I’m not.

“His record for Newcastle is superb by anybody’s standards. Michael always has a chance to answer his critics on the pitch and he’s such a strong character that he’ll do that.”

Capello names his England squad for next week’s friendly match in France on Thursday and Owen’s third goal in six games was timely. “He will keep scoring goals for as long as he plays, you see it in training every day,” Keegan said. “Every time he doesn’t score people say he’s not the same player, but his performances in terms of workrate have been outstanding since I’ve been here. He hasn’t had a long run of games with us and you have to remember that, but he’s a determined character and I like that.”

Birmingham’s supporters jeered at the final whistle after a result that leaves the lower reaches of the Premier League ever tighter. Alex McLeish’s team, who lost Sebastian Larsson to a medial ligament injury to his knee that will require a scan today, rose above Sunderland into sixteenth place, while Newcastle are four points clear of the bottom three in fourteenth.

For Keegan and Newcastle, Saturday’s home game against Fulham is of paramount importance. They have amassed three points from a possible 24 under Keegan’s leadership, conceding 21 goals and scoring five.

“When you look at the names on our teamsheet, we shouldn’t be down at the bottom,” Keegan said. “But we are. And they’ve got to show another side of their characters, but I’ve never doubted them and you’ve never heard me criticise them.

“I think the character is there, it’s the confidence that’s been the problem. But we’ll take some confidence from this into Saturday.”

Keegan approached last night’s match in characteristically adventurous fashion, with a three-pronged attack of Owen, Mark Viduka and Obafemi Martins. “I didn’t think we had too much to lose,” he said, “and you know me. There are times when you need to be cavalier. Even last time I was manager here, in spite of what was said, we got a few drab 0-0 draws. Not many. Maybe one.”

Keegan’s satisfaction was not tempered by the furious reaction of Martins to his late substitution. “I haven’t got a problem with him and he’s smaller than me anyway,” he said. “I would hate players to come off and do cartwheels. I saw the same from Robbie Keane the other night and I like it. He had every right to be disappointed and we won’t fight over it.”