Michael Owen will return to full training on Tuesday after missing Manchester United's weekend draw.
Red Devils ace relieved to avoid long-term knock
Michael Owen will return to full training with Manchester United on Tuesday after missing their weekend draw with Sunderland.
Owen tweaked his groin in last week's game with Wolfsburg, although he sensibly departed the pitch before doing himself serious harm.
As it transpires, Owen's quick thinking meant he only had a short recovery time and, after missing match with the Black Cats, is now virtually good to go.
Owen admits in the past he might have stayed on and then endured a spell on the sidelines, but is relieved he was able to spot the danger signs.
Full training
"I'm back in full training from tomorrow," Owen told
At The Races on Monday. "The older you get the more you get to learn your body.
"Probably a few years ago I would have carried on playing and pulled something and been out for a couple of months or a few weeks at least.
"I felt something coming. If I'd continued or done another sprint then I think I would have pulled my groin.
"So I came off just before it happened and instead of three or four weeks it's three or four days. So that's something you get with experience."
Hopeful
Meanwhile, Owen, who has 89 caps and 40 goals for England, has not given up hope of making Fabio Capello's 23-man squad for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
The Three Lions have already qualified for the finals and, while Owen remains down the pecking order, his spirit are in tact.
"We'll see about that," he replied when asked about featuring in next summer's finals.
"Every aim for an English footballer is to go to the World Cup and get in that squad.
"I've got six or seven months to do as well as possible for Manchester United and hopefully (Fabio Capello) will be watching."
