Premier League - Owen not concerned by injuries

Eurosport - Sat, 04 Jul 14:38:00 2009

New Manchester United striker Michael Owen insists he is fighting fit and his injury-plagued past should not be a concern.

2008-2009 Newcastle United Michael Owen - 0

The 29-year-old on Friday night signed a two-year deal with the Premier League champions after swift negotiations which lasted less than 48 hours.

A chequered history with injuries - hamstring problems at Liverpool, knee ligament issues at Newcastle - was thought to have deterred most of England's top clubs from considering signing the out-of-contract striker but United manager Sir Alex Ferguson had no hesitation.

"A lot is made out of it but I certainly don't feel like I'm injury prone," said Owen.

The England international believes his new boss was right not to be frightened off by reams of medical notes detailing exactly why he had spent much of his four-year spell on Tyneside on the sidelines.

The former Real Madrid forward is believed to have undergone an assessment on his troublesome knee in London on Thursday before travelling to Manchester on Friday for a more general physical check-up.

"I'd like to think that everyone was quite surprised with my medical," said Owen. "I passed my medical and I've obviously passed them before, and my fitness is high."

His manager will hope not as, if he can stay fit, Owen could still have plenty of goals left in him.

"Michael is a world class forward with a proven goalscoring record at the highest level and that has never been in question," said Ferguson, who is a long-time admirer of a player who scored 158 goals in 297 matches for Liverpool and struck 40 times in 89 England internationals.

"Coming to Manchester United with the expectations that we have is something that Michael will relish."

Owen will see his move to Old Trafford as a double challenge: first he has to show he can still score goals at the highest level and, second, he wants to use his higher profile to regain his England place with a World Cup looming next summer.

PA Sport

Comment 1388 - 1407 of 1407

Sort comments by: Most recent

  1. There is nothing to prevent Man Utd to shield­ everything next season eventhough Ronaldo and Teves­ left the club.Manchester is not a two men tem when on­ field but an eleven men team who works together to­ reach their goals.Whether Orwen worths a little or not­ Man Utd can still be the best team to support as a best­ in English premier league.An expensive player can also­ be substituted as other cheaper players.

    From jndemutela, on Wed 29 Jul 9:01AM

  2. it seems that "liverpool fan" fayjohn must of­ sat down sulking on 12th may 2001 then...

    owen will­ probably do well for united, against both small and big­ teams in all competitions. sir alex knows exactly what­ he's doing, it's possible that fergie can get­ him back to something like he was in say 2002/3. i­ don't blame him for going there at all, what did­ liverpool fans expect? for him to join hull, stoke or­ some other losers and be in the same situation as last­ year? simply because he played for them? they already­ wanted to kill him when he went to anfield on boxing­ day 2005 because he played for newcastle, so why even­ care about what they have to say anymore. fair play­ michael, hope to see you firing goals again soon.

    From lyndonedwards19, on Wed 8 Jul 5:32AM

  3. LIVERPOOL WILL WIN ALL THE CUPS AND TITTLE HA HA HA HA­ HA MAN UTD

    From fayjohn37, on Mon 6 Jul 1:11AM

  4. LIVERPOOL WILL WIN ALL THE CUPS AND TITTLE HA HA HA HA­ HA MAN UTD

    From fayjohn37, on Mon 6 Jul 1:11AM

  5. OWEN IS NOT CONCERNED ABOUT ALL THE INJURIES BECAUSE HE­ WILL BE PLAYING 2 GAMES ALL SEASON HA HA HA HA HA HA HA­ HA BREAK A LEG OWEN HA HA HA HA HA

    From fayjohn37, on Mon 6 Jul 1:01AM

  6. u cant even spell ferguson PHIL K and u talk about­ stupidity u moron!!

    From BallsDeep, on Sun 5 Jul 7:47PM

  7. how about red nosed alcoholic munich jock tw4t ? more­ fitting i think.

    From BallsDeep, on Sun 5 Jul 7:43PM

  8. well that just about sums up the stupidity on this­ site.......someone calling Alex Fergusun a loser­ !!!!!!!!!!!!!

    From Chill, on Sun 5 Jul 11:20AM

  9. Why would Owen worry about injuries? he coins it in­ wether getting a nice rub down on the physio table or­ playing on the pitch . . makes no odds to him and boy­ did it show in his last performances

    From jack torrance, on Sun 5 Jul 10:40AM

  10. Good Fergie, wise decision.Make Owen, don't let his­ dreams fade away. He is too young to bow out, i know­ he still has more goals to score before taking the­ final bow.

    From Geelo, on Sun 5 Jul 10:07AM

  11. I can remember Michael Owen from back at school his­ school was one mile down the road from mine i can­ remember him because our schools used to have annual­ competitions against each other and he springs to mind­ twice first time being watching him play chess he went­ to take a rook with a pawn and fell on the floor and­ got taken somewhere and the next time was the inter­ school spelling competition he got asked a question and­ was just about to answer and amazingly got injured

    From cherie.shaun, on Sun 5 Jul 2:05AM

  12. Just watched series 2 of Phoenix Nights, well funny­ Assassin.

    From Funky Buck Spubble, on Sun 5 Jul 12:30AM
  13. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    It's official - Fergie has finally gone batsh1t­ bananas. So where's the nearest retirement home to­ Old Trafford? "Sir" Alex needs to get his­ arse there ASAP. Loser.

    From Kearney, on Sun 5 Jul 12:25AM

  14. saw Billy Connelly early in his career and his accent­ was so strong I missed some of the jokes!! Peter Kay is­ a very funny man.

    From the silent assassin, on Sat 4 Jul 10:52PM

  15. can't stand him and don't think he deserves any­ more chances, anywhere with anyone. He should be in­ jail with all the delights that that has to offer him,­ he'd fit in well with a prison team, who are all­ hopefully bigger thugs than him and would teach him a­ lesson he wouldn't forget

    From the silent assassin, on Sat 4 Jul 10:40PM

  16. Barton was very lucky to have not been banned. Saying­ that though, maybe the challenge of making Newcastle­ premier league again might be a way for him to mature­ and redeem himself. Be known as the bad boy come good­ and cement his place in folklore. Would be a happier­ and more uplifting end to his ballad.

    From Funky Buck Spubble, on Sat 4 Jul 10:29PM

  17. Connolly is legend. Rhod Gilbert is well funny yeah. ­ Ross Noble not seen enough of. Bill Bailey is­ hysterical mate, proper talented genius if not slightly­ mentally fried lol.

    From Funky Buck Spubble, on Sat 4 Jul 10:24PM

  18. michael owens career effectively ended versus leeds in­ 1999 when he pulled up with a minor hamstring injury­ which turned out to be really serious and he never­ recovered his killer speed as soon as he tries to play­ flat out for man u hes certain topull up again .hes an­ injury prone has been.john

    From JOHN, on Sat 4 Jul 10:07PM

  19. nice one pete, that would be the icing on the cake !!!!

    From the silent assassin, on Sat 4 Jul 10:00PM

  20. Gi5, sorry mate, don't like any of his material,­ billy connolly, ross noble, rhod gilbert is fantastic,­ the best export from wales lava bread......

    From yorkie, on Sat 4 Jul 9:55PM
Sort comments by: Most recent

Not already a Yahoo! user ? to get a free Yahoo! Account