INJURY doubt Michael Owen has been told by Newcastle United manager Graeme Souness that the decision to play against Sunderland rests on the shoulders of the club record buy.

Souness is reluctant to gamble on the England centre-forward if it means Owen will limp out of Sunday's derby and face a lengthy spell on the sidelines.

The Newcastle boss has already allowed both Emre and Kieron Dyer to make premature comebacks this season and subsequently both players were ruled out of action for weeks.

And now Owen, who hobbled out of a practice game on Tuesday with a tight hamstring, is facing a similar situation and Souness is giving him every chance possible to play in Sunday's game.

The Magpies chief is due to announce his squad for the visit of Sunderland this morning and Owen is expected to be in it.

But that does not mean he will definitely be involved against the Black Cats, it just offers him the chance to have another 48 hours before he has to be ruled out.

Owen, whose career appearances have been restricted by hamstring trouble, is such an integral and important part of the team's plans that he will be asked to make his own judgement on the problem.

The club's coaching and medical staff will help the prolific striker reach a decision but ultimately Souness believes the player will know better than anyone whether he is in a fit enough state to play.

Owen is said to be desperate to play in his first Tyne-Wear derby and it is his pace that is seen as Newcastle's major weapon against a Sunderland backline lacking a huge element of pace.

The decision to play Owen is one of the biggest in Souness' career and it could have a major say in whether or not the former Liverpool and Rangers boss stays in charge at St James' Park.

Defeat against Sunderland on Sunday would sharpen the knives on Tyneside of those already questioning whether he is the right man to take the club forward.

And to be without his £16m striker, if Owen does fail to recover in time to play, would certainly harm Newcastle's chances of claiming all three points against their major North-East rivals.

Souness will at least be buoyed by the return to the starting line up of Turkish midfielder Emre.

Emre came off the bench at Wigan last weekend but is expected to play in the middle of midfield alongside Scott Parker against Sunderland.

That will allow Nolberto Solano and Charles N'Zogbia to operate the flanks and it will be their task to supply Alan Shearer with the crosses, regardless of whether or not Owen plays.

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