Michael Owen has sent a chilling warning to Premiership defenders following his first hat-trick for Newcastle United by declaring himself a natural born goalscorer who intends to terrorise them for years to come.
 Owen was unstoppable as United romped to arguably their best away win in the league under Graeme Souness and the England international appears to be relishing the nightmares he is causing Premiership defences. The striker, who celebrated his 26th birthday on Wednesday, has now scored seven goals in eight appearances since his £16.5m move from Real Madrid and has claimed there are plenty more to come as the Magpies move back into European contention. And, having combined with close friend and team-mate Alan Shearer to move United's captain to within one goal of equalling Jackie Milburn's club record, Owen has hinted that he is ready to follow in the footsteps of the famous number nine and burn himself into the St James's Park record books. "When I came here I promised that I would score goals, but it wasn't much of a promise because I've always scored goals," said a player who will look to take his predatory instincts back on to the global stage at next summer's World Cup Finals in Germany. "As a team we've got a lot of goals in us. When we've got everybody fit, we have a lot of creative players and the big man up front. "He's always going to give you a few moments, you can get on the end of his flicks and he is good on the floor as well. He's set me up for my first one and I've set him up for his one so we're both going home happy tonight "I don't think anyone in their right mind will say Alan Shearer will stop scoring goals until the day he hangs up his football boots. I will be the same. Until I stop playing it will always be my game to score goals. No matter what I might lose it will always be my instinct to score, I seem to have this ability to know where the ball is going to be and that's why I will always score goals. Even if I was playing for my local pub team I'd score goals. That's my game. "Alan has moved one goal closer to breaking the record and hopefully that will be a great bonus for him. He has always said that the team is the most important thing, but everybody will be delighted for him if he breaks the record." If Graeme Souness can keep his £31m strikeforce fit the Magpies are starting to have the look of a top-six side which may even threaten the big four if this good run can continue over the festive period. Yet, had it not been for the excellence of Owen and Shearer this is a game United could easily have lost as the Hammers contributed to a terrific advert for the Premiership. Owen added: "It was a good game, it was an open game, right from the first minute both teams were attacking and I thought there could be a few goals in it. "It could have gone either way. We were always in front or drawing, but if they had taken the lead it might have been very hard to peg them back." | 
