London: England and Newcastle United soccer star Michael Owen will watch from the sidelines for up to 10 weeks after he broke his foot on Saturday.
The Newcastle United striker broke a bone in his right foot when he collided with Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper Paul Robinson just before halftime during the 2-0 loss at White Hart Lane.
The 26-year-old striker is set to have an operation on the broken bone in his right foot and insisted that he would be ready for the World Cup this summer.
Owen is a key member of the England team for the World Cup that starts in six months, having scored 35 times in 75 appearances for his country and has already scored seven goals in nine starts since joining Newcastle from Spanish side Real Madrid in August on a $29-million US transfer.
"Michael has broken his fifth metatarsal," Newcastle manager Graeme Souness said after Saturday's match. "He has had it X-rayed and he will be out for months. It's an almighty blow."
"Even when you are not playing pretty well, with Michael in the team you can win games. Goals change games. It's an absolute disaster for him and for us. This is a dark day for us considering what happened to Michael," Souness added.
Souness, who will also have to contend with the possible loss of Shay Given as well after the goalkeeper broke a bone in his thumb, already had more reason to leave London concerned after his side conceded goals in each half.
Mido, who joins up with the Egypt national side for the African Nations after Tottenham's game against Liverpool on January 14, set up Teemu Tainio for the opener shortly before half-time and then added a second in the 66th minute to take his tally to eight goals this season.
"We have conceded two goals by people not doing their jobs properly," Souness added.
Victory stretched Tottenham's unbeaten home run to nine games to continue their challenge on the Premiership's top four.
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But boss Martin Jol refused to talk up his side's chances of a securing a place in Europe for next season, insisting it depended upon the development of his younger players.
"I think we have had some results that are very encouraging but we are still not there," Jol said. "We have had a few more results away from home so we look mentally stronger. That's the difference with last year."
"We will have some disappointments and that happened against West Brom on Wednesday. If the younger players step up like Jermaine Jenas did today, then we could be in the first four or five but if they don't we have a bit of a problem," Jol added.
Tainio opened his goal scoring account for Spurs in the 43rd minute when he latched on to Mido's downward header from goalkeeper Robinson's kick up field and, as Newcastle defender Titus Bramble stumbled, fired a fierce, low strike into the bottom corner.
The goal brought the game to life, because until then it had been a match of few chances.
Spurs found the back of the net in the seventh minute, but Robbie Keane's cool finish was ruled offside.
Keane delivered an inviting cross from the left bye-line but Jermaine Jenas - playing against his former club - could only head wide from six yards.
Tainio was not so wasteful when he was presented with possession on the edge of the area to send Spurs ahead.
Despite Souness adjusting his side's formation at half-time, Spurs still managed to create more openings in the second period.
From one assault on the the Newcastle goal, Keane - Tottenham's brightest player before he was withdrawn on 11 minutes from the finish - crossed from the left wing to an unmarked Mido, who fired a volley into the ground which bounced high beyond Given.
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