Michael Owen could return to action against Reading next Monday night.
The 27-year-old Newcastle United and England striker missed his club's 0-0 Barclays Premiership draw with Chelsea yesterday, with manager Glenn Roeder revealing he knew he would not figure several days beforehand.
However, Roeder is convinced he will play a competitive game sooner rather than later, and is not considering him for the reserves' trip to Bolton tomorrow night or for another behind-closed doors friendly.
He said: 'If Michael is involved in an 11 v 11 this week, it will be on the training ground against ourselves.
'In my opinion now, Michael does not need to be playing against any opposition in a friendly.
'The next time we will see Michael Owen, it will be in a competitive game.'
After ten months on the sidelines recovering from the anterior cruciate ligament rupture he suffered at last summer's World Cup finals, Owen is desperate to return and stake his claim for a place in the England squad for the friendly against Brazil and the European Championship qualifier in Estonia in June.
That is the subject of a battle between his club and the Football Association amid a row over World Cup compensation, although chairman Freddy Shepherd is adamant he has no problem with his record £17million signing playing for England.
