Training pitches take toll

Newcastle manager Graeme Souness says a spate of 15 hamstring injuries this season, including one to Michael Owen, is down to the club's training pitches.

Owen, a doubt for tomorrow's northeast derby with Sunderland, has joined a hamstring injury list that has prompted Souness to switch training to the club's academy pitches.

"Michael is going to be touch-and-go for the weekend," Souness told reporters.

Other Newcastle players who have been sidelined with hamstring problems include Kieron Dyer, Emre Belozoglu, Albert Luque and Craig Moore.

Asked about switching facilities, Souness said: "Moving our training base to the academy was a last resort. Extremely well-qualified people advise us on what we should be doing and it is down to the pitches we train on - not the training we do - and that applies to the stadium as well."