By Chris Baker
March 1 2006

There is good news on both players today, with Shearer training for the first real time since injury in the Villa game, whilst Owen has been given the all clear to step up training following a visit to his specialist yesterday.

There is good news on both players today, with Shearer training for the first real time since injury in the Villa game, whilst Owen has been given the all clear to step up training following a visit to his specialist yesterday.

There is still no date set for an Owen comeback, but Roeder has revealed that the club record signing is "perhaps a week ahead of where we always thought he would be after his injury."

Speaking to the official site himself, Owen said "I saw a specialist on Monday and everything is going according to plan, the bone is knitting together quite well. The surgeon said to keep pressing on with what I'm doing."

"I've not had time off like this before and I've not enjoyed it. I'm desperate to pull on a Newcastle shirt again."

"The team is in a good patch and doing well. We've had home games with the crowd behind us and picked up valuable points and we're in the last eight of the Cup with an exciting game at Chelsea to be played, so we need to keep on top of things and keep pressing on."

As for Shearer, it is widely expected that he will be ready for the visit of Bolton on Saturday.

Caretaker Roeder said: "Al has not really trained with the squad since he damaged his calf at Aston Villa.

"But he had a good session with our physiotherapist Derek Wright yesterday, and if there is no reaction he will be back with the squad on Thursday and we will have a look at things then."

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