Michael Owen has admitted he fears a repeat of his injury nightmare when England take on Russia on an artificial pitch in October.
Steve McClaren's men have five games left to salvage their unconvincing Euro 2008 qualifying campaign - with this autumn's trip to Moscow the only one to be played away from the rebuilt Wembley Stadium.
That match is set to take place on an artificial pitch after the Russian authorities pencilled in the October 17 clash for Torpedo Moscow's 84,000-seat Luzhniki Stadium.
The Newcastle striker spent all but the last three games of 2006-07 out of action after he damaged his anterior cruciate ligament on World Cup duty last summer.
And Owen fears a recurrence on what is likely to be an unyielding surface in Moscow.
‘I hope my knee holds up to an artificial pitch,’ he told Sky Sports News. ‘Most people that have done their knee in the past say stay away from them.’
