MARK Hughes reckons Blackburn Rovers will have to overcome the Owen factor' if they are to prevail at Newcastle United today.

Rovers head to Tyneside knowing it's win or bust in terms of their chances of qualifying for an automatic Uefa Cup place are concerned.

But their hopes of returning from the north east with three precious Premiership points could yet be scuppered by England striker Michael Owen, who is set to grace St James' Park for the first time since December 2005 after making his long-awaited comeback from a cruciate knee ligament injury earlier this week.

"Obviously that's going to encourage their crowd and get them excited so we're going to have to cope with the Owen factor' so to speak," said Hughes.

"It's a case of going there, doing what we are capable of, and hopefully quietening the crowd down and playing our own stuff.

"We are playing well at the moment and my front two aren't bad either, so I think we'll give them cause for concern at some point in the game."

Signed from Real Madrid for a club record £16 million in the summer of 2005, Owen has made only 12 appearances for United in the two seasons since after breaking his metatarsal in a game against Tottenham, then once he recovered from that he was soon on the sidelines again after rupturing knee ligaments whilst playing for England at the World Cup last summer.

But after a long and painstaking rehabilitation programme, he's now ready to wreak havoc again in the Premiership, and while the timing of his return is not ideal from Blackburn's point of view, Hughes is gracious enough to accept it's good for English football in general to see a player of his calibre back on the scene.

"Everyone in football is pleased to see Michael Owen back," said Hughes.

"He's a fabulous talent who needs to be playing in the Premier League on a regular basis.

"I saw him play at Reading the other night in his first game back and he got through 90 minutes, which is probably more than they expected out of him.

"He looked strong and sharp so he could come back bigger, faster and stronger."