‘Best to come’ as Shearer and Owen deliver Hammers blow

ALAN SHEARER promised there was more to come from his partnership with England striker Michael Owen after moving to within just one goal of equalling Jackie Milburn’s club record of 200 goals.

Shearer took his tally to 199 with Newcastle's third goal in Saturday's 4-2 demolition of Alan Pardew's side but it was Owen's hat-trick his first for the club since joining them from Real Madrid in the summer which really caught the eye.

Owen struck twice in the opening half and completed his hat-trick in the dying seconds of added time to give Newcastle their second successive Premiership victory in a six-goal thriller at Upton Park.

"The partnership is going well, and if we can both stay fit, then we will cause people problems," declared Shearer. "We both have great belief in our own ability and our games suit each other.

"With him in the team you know you always have a chance of getting goals and he showed that. We said before the game we needed to win to keep going after beating Arsenal.

"We've taken seven points from the last three games so things are looking good for us. I am one goal away now (from the record) so hopefully I won't have to wait too much longer for it.

"The main thing was the three points. We said we needed to build on the win over Arsenal last weekend and we did just that."

Shearer believes Newcastle have a great chance to continue their unbeaten run by taking advantage of Liverpool's trip to Tokyo for the Club World Championship when the two clubs meet on December 26.

The game will see the return of Owen and boss Graeme Souness to Anfield and Shearer believes Liverpool may well be tired after their long trip.

"It will be a big game and I know Michael is already looking to it. We are hoping after Liverpool's trip far away that they come back a little bit jaded and tired.

"We had a little sticky patch but we've come through it, with seven points from the last nine available, so we're a lot happier than we were a couple of weeks ago."

West Ham boss Alan Pardew believes the world-class pairing of Shearer and Owen showed the art of a real striking partnership is not a dying art in the Premiership.

"There are very few partnerships in attack in the Premiership today," said Pardew. "The old First Division and the early days of the Premiership was built on them.

"Nowadays systems have changed to try and combat that, but as an out-and-out pairing, they will take some beating."

Opta Fact: West Ham have benefited from four own-goals this season, more than any other team.

Opta Fact: Michael Owen has now scored 10 goals in 10 Premiership appearances against West Ham.