sport

KEEGAN EAGER TO KEEP OWEN

Owen heads home the winner.

Michael Owen stated his case for a new Newcastle contract with a precious winner against Bolton - and manager Kevin Keegan insists everyone at the club wants him to stay.

Owen came off the bench to head his side to victory with a 71st-minute effort after his latest recovery from injury.

His heroics came just days before Keegan heads into a meeting with owner Mike Ashley and executive director of football Dennis Wise to discuss, among other things, the England striker's new deal.

Further signings and the empty seats at St James' Park are also likely be high on the agenda.

The game was watched by only 47,711, the lowest crowd for an opening home fixture since the stadium was expanded, despite ticket give-aways and cash turnstiles.

Owen's strike made the difference in a tight game, but Newcastle were grateful to goalkeeper Shay Gven who saved Kevin Nolan's 59th-minute penalty.

Whether the 28-year-old frontman has done enough to catch the eye of England boss Fabio Capello ahead of next month's World Cup qualifiers against Andorra and Croatia remains to be seen.

But Keegan has few doubts about Owen's central position in his plans.

Asked if the goal would strengthen his case, the Magpies boss said: "You will have to ask them. I would have thought it has done it no harm.

"The idea is that we do want Michael to stay, all of us. We have just got to get to the point where we have got an agreement, and that's got to be right for both parties.

"I know he wants to stay, I know he likes it here, really likes it here and I have made it absolutely clear I want him to.

"It will run its course. I think we are pretty close, but we will find out on Wednesday and we will see.

"I don't think he has done his case any harm, do you?

"I think we will keep him. I am not going to labour the point. I have said my piece.

"We have got a meeting on Wednesday. I think we are very close, but I will know more on Wednesday."

Keegan revealed he had only intended to use his £17million man for the final 15 minutes, but he was left with little choice but to introduce him seven minutes after the break with Obafemi Martins feeling a thigh injury.

The Newcastle boss said: "I looked at my bench. I had lost both my forwards and I had Alan Smith, who is injured and I promised I wouldn't put him on unless there was a crisis. And I had Michael Owen.

"I looked at Michael and he just said, 'Just give me a long warm-up'. So I gave him about 20 seconds and put him on."

But Keegan was also quick to pay tribute to Given, whose recovery from groin surgery to address the lingering effects of his horrific collision with Marlon Harewood, has given him a new lease of life.

He said: "Shay came back from a life-threatening/career-threatening injury at West Ham.

"When he had his problems, it was found that a lot of the stuff that had been repaired hadn't been put in the right places.

"A lot of his nerves were trapped, so how he played, I don't know.

"But we sent him to Germany and they have done a wonderful job. He has come back and he feels great."

Keegan admitted his side rode their luck, and opposite number Gary Megson was left to bemoan yet another penalty failure.

He said: "People do miss penalties, but since I have been manager of Bolton we have missed the three penalties we have had, all with different takers.

"We have got to start scoring from those opportunities.

"A fair result is neither here nor there, it doesn't matter whether if it was fair or not. We had an opportunity to get something from that game today and I feel win the game, but we didn't take that."