Newcastle United striker Michael Owen will defy manager Sam Allardyce and declare himself fit for England's Euro2008 qualifier against Estonia on Saturday.

The Toon striker, 27, insists he will only listen to German surgeon Dr Ulrike Muschaweck who operated on his groin.

And in another stinging rebuke to the Geordies' gaffer, Owen declared Allardyce got it wrong about when he got crocked. Allardyce claimed Owen picked it up playing for England last month - but the hitman insists he had it before then.

He said: "I'll listen to the surgeon and not anyone else because she knows what she is talking about.

"Could I play against Estonia? I don't see why not. The surgeon tells me nothing can go wrong in terms of the operation.

"I know the manager here said I did it in the last international matches but I was playing in pain even before them."

Owen scored on his Toon return in the 3-2 win over Everton on Sunday just eight days after under-going surgery in Munich.

And he added: "I've been pushing myself through a lot of pain for about six weeks - even before the last two internationals."