By Paul Brown

Curtis Davies has laughed off stories of Michael Owen's demise - after experiencing the lethal scoring power of the classy striker first hand.

Davies has backed the England forward to return to top form soon, insisting he is a classic example of the principle that 'form is temporary but class is permanent.'

Owen, who looks set to return to the Newcastle line-up this weekend after recovering from a groin strain, has struggled with his form in recent months.

But Davies is adamant that it is only a matter of time before the forward is back to his best.

He said: "I played against Newcastle when I was at West Brom. He didn't have a kick in the first half at the Hawthorns and then he scored with his first touch after the break.

"He then scored again - Alan Shearer added a third - and Newcastle went on to win the game comfortably."

Davies also revealed his admiration for another Newcastle forward, Mark Viduka.

"Mark is big and strong and has good feet too. When he's fit he can score 15-20 goals every season."