Alan Shearer has told Michael Owen that his cruciate ligament injury is not the end of the world, although it may seem it at this moment as England are still in with a chance of the World Cup.

The ex-England skipper has quashed rumours that Owen's career could be over as he himself suffered a very similar injury during his time at St James' Park.

Shearer: "Yes, the injury is a long one but Michael will recover all right. To say his career is threatened or he'll lose his pace is just scaremongering.

"Michael need look no further than myself. I suffered a similar injury in 1993 when medical help wasn't so advanced as it is now and I played on for another 13 years. It took me seven months to get back, but I made it and so will he.

"He'll be in the very best of hands, will have his operation, and then begin the long recovery. I've spoken to him a couple of times and of course he's down, but he's strong mentally and that will stand him in good stead.

"I knew instinctively it was a bad one the way his leg went and the way the knee was wrenched," admitted England's former skipper.

"It was such an innocuous situation - no one was near him - but they can be the worst. I was all by myself when I shattered my ankle and everything else at Everton. It was the worst injury of my career and this will be Michael's worst."