The 28-year-old linked up with new England manager Fabio Capello this week ahead of Wednesday's friendly clash with Switzerland as a new international era was launched.

He did so having scored his first Barclays Premier League goal since October 7 in yesterday's 1-1 derby draw with Middlesbrough.

Indeed, Owen could have been the hero had referee Mike Dean not disallowed an earlier effort for a foul on goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer despite minimal contact being made with the Australian goalkeeper.

Ultimately, Owen's legal strike was enough only to clinch a point as Germany international Robert Huth headed home a late equaliser, although the former Real Madrid man is hoping his return to goalscoring form can provide the platform for a new start.

He said: "It gave us a lift to score against Middlesbrough because we had not scored under the new manager.

"People say we didn't score for three games, but let's not get carried away - we did play Arsenal twice.

"They are a fine team who we are not as good as, basically, and it was always going to be difficult in those two games.

"We needed a goal to ignite everyone. But unfortunately, we could not hang on.

"This, though, gives us something to work on. It would be a boost to get that win.

"There is no doubt once everyone gets their confidence back, we can go far.

"If anybody is going to give us that confidence, it is this manager. I am sure that will happen and we will pick up."

That may prove easier said than done in the short term with home games against Manchester United and Blackburn to follow next weekend's trip to Aston Villa.

However, with Owen back fit and among the goals, he is hoping to spearhead a revival to drag the club away from the developing fight for survival below them.

A combination of groin and thigh injuries have limited him to just 20 appearances for his club to date this season, although yesterday's strike was his second in five games following his goal in the 4-1 FA Cup third-round replay victory over Stoke.

Like all top strikers, he knows there will be times when he does not find the back of the net for several games at a time, although with team-mates also failing on that front - Newcastle had not scored a league goal in 455 minutes until the Boro game - his potency or lack of it has become all the more significant.

Owen said: "It is part of my life and my career, I suppose. I have gone three games without a goal and have been criticised.

"Two of those games were away at Arsenal when we lost 3-0 twice, so it is not like we had a lot of chances.

"Three games is not a long time - four games is probably a crisis - but it is always nice to score.

"It was just frustrating not to win the game."

After a cagey first half during which Boro were content to get men behind the ball and deny the Magpies space, the game came to life after the restart with the visitors looking the more likely to make the breakthrough on the counter-attack.

Only a superbly-timed challenge from Claudio Cacapa denied Jeremie Aliadiere a free strike at goal, and Shay Given had to make a fine double save from Stewart Downing and Gary O'Neil.

But it was then that Owen struck after Luke Young had been harshly pulled up for a challenge on Charles N'Zogbia.

Emre curled an inviting free-kick to the near post, where Owen out-jumped much taller opponents to glance a neat header home.

The relief inside St James' Park was palpable, although it was to be short-lived as Huth looped an 87th-minute header over the stranded Given to make the most of a questionable offside decision.

The flag did go up, however, in injury-time when Aliadiere fired into the empty net after Downing's free-kick had come back off the post to leave both side's bemoaning their luck, but also acutely aware they could have lost the game.