The worst fears of Michael Owen and England have been realised after a scan revealed the striker will be out for five months with cruciate ligament damage.
Owen collapsed in the opening exchanges of England's 2-2 draw with Sweden on Tuesday and initial fears that the knee injury was a serious one have now been confirmed.
The news is a massive blow not only to England's World Cup bid but also Newcastle United, who now appear to be facing up to the prospect of being without Owen for virtually all of 2006.
Owen's tale of woe began on New Year's Eve last year when the former Liverpool frontman suffered a broken metatarsal in an innocuous-looking challenge with England team-mate Paul Robinson at Tottenham's White Hart Lane.
After a lengthy period of rehabilitation, Owen was declared fit for the World Cup finals and the 26-year-old started England's two group games prior to the clash with Sweden but appeared still to be feeling his way back after injury.
Misfortune has now befallen Owen once more and the news will be of grave concern to England coach Sven Goran Eriksson, who now has just the recovering Wayne Rooney, the untried Theo Walcott and Peter Crouch as striking options this summer.
An official statement from England is expected shortly.
Owen collapsed in the opening exchanges of England's 2-2 draw with Sweden on Tuesday and initial fears that the knee injury was a serious one have now been confirmed.
The news is a massive blow not only to England's World Cup bid but also Newcastle United, who now appear to be facing up to the prospect of being without Owen for virtually all of 2006.
Owen's tale of woe began on New Year's Eve last year when the former Liverpool frontman suffered a broken metatarsal in an innocuous-looking challenge with England team-mate Paul Robinson at Tottenham's White Hart Lane.
After a lengthy period of rehabilitation, Owen was declared fit for the World Cup finals and the 26-year-old started England's two group games prior to the clash with Sweden but appeared still to be feeling his way back after injury.
Misfortune has now befallen Owen once more and the news will be of grave concern to England coach Sven Goran Eriksson, who now has just the recovering Wayne Rooney, the untried Theo Walcott and Peter Crouch as striking options this summer.
An official statement from England is expected shortly.
