Perma-crocked striker Michael Owen has been sidelined again with another hamstring injury. The Manchester United man has struggled over the years with a succession of hamstring injuries and had only just returned to training following a recent groin complaint. The new injury looks set to keep the former Liverpool front-man on the sidelines for another couple of weeks.
Owen looked set to start his team's Carling Cup tie against Wolves after recovering from his groin injury, only to miss out at the last minute with the new complaint. Sir Alex Ferguson's side came through the tie thanks to a late winner from Javier Hernandez. The two sides meet in the league soon, and the Wolves betting tips suggest United should score another win.
Owen has only made two starts this season for United and hasn't featured for the first team since he was replaced at half-time during the 0-0 draw at Sunderland last month. That was his first league start of the season, with the other start coming in the third round of the Carling Cup, in which the striker's two goals helped his team to a 5-2 win over Scunthorpe.
Owen was determined to make more of an impression than last season, when injury and the form of others restricted the striker to just five league starts in his first season at Old Trafford. His season was cut short by another hamstring injury suffered during the Carling Cup final and this term was supposed to be Owen's chance to prove he still has enough quality to warrant a place in Ferguson’s side.
The emergence of Javier Hernandez won't have helped Owen chances of returning to the first team anytime soon. The Mexican striker scored his third goal in a week with the winner in the Wolves match and has taken to English football supremely well since his summer move to Old Trafford. With Hernandez's form, Dimitar Berbatov looking every bit a world class striker and Wayne Rooney close to a return to the first team, Owen's chances are looking limited.
If Owen has any hopes of getting back into Fabio Capello's England side, then he is going to need to start playing regularly. If not at Old Trafford then maybe the striker might have to consider a move at some point in the future. At 30 and with question marks constantly surrounding his fitness it could be now or never for England's former wonder-boy.
Meanwhile, the Champions League betting suggests United can essentially secure their progression to the knock out stages of the tournament next week.
They currently have seven points and a win against Bursaspor would all but guarantee a top two finish in the group.
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