Alan Shearer has taken official charge at Newcastle and quickly revealed Michael Owen as the key figure in his masterplan to keep the club in the Premier League.

The 29-year-old striker has been much maligned this week after being repeatedly snubbed by England manager Fabio Capello, despite returning from a seven-week lay-off with an ankle injury.

And although some critics appear to have written off Owen, his new club boss insists his pedigree makes him central to the club's hopes of avoiding the drop.

“His goalscoring record is fabulous and I think a club in this position needs goals,” said Shearer, flanked by his No2 Iain Dowie at this afternoon's press conference to confirm his appointment to the hot seat for the final eight games of the season.

“We have got a great goalscorer hopefully to get us to safety. He is fit and trained very well. We hope he is fit for Saturday and if he is, he will start.”

Shearer's challenge begins with the daunting prospect of a home clash against Chelsea but the former No9 refuted suggestions that the following weekend's clash, against Stoke, represent the club's first genuine chance of picking up a much-needed victory.

“We can do it,” said Shearer, who assumes control from Joe Kinnear while he recovers from a triple heart bypass operation. “Saturday is a great game. I am not having the nonsense saying we will have nothing out of the game against Chelsea and just move on to Stoke.

“We are two points behind. If we lose and the other teams win, that makes it five. So we have to get something out of Saturday.”

Shearer's messiah-like presence on Tyneside will undoubtedly galvanise an ailing team and give the club a shake up it has needed for some time.

But he insisted the appointment was only temporary and that he won't be in charge beyond the end of the season.

Shearer said: “I came in this morning, saw all the players and spoke to them and the staff. The training was superb. We set a standard this morning that we want to keep to.

“The fans know me as well as anyone does. They know they will get 100 per cent 24 hours a day for the next eight weeks. I hope that will be good enough, because it would sadden me and the hundreds of thousands of people who follow this club to be in the Championship.

“I haven't taken this job for me. I could have been sat on the sofa on Saturday evening being analytical and critical.

“I would probably not have done this for any other club. I am here now — for eight games and eight games only.”

Shearer, who rejected claims he had anything to do with Dennis Wise's departure as executive director (football), has no managerial experience and plans to speak to a host of his former managers for advice.

He said: “I will speak to Joe, Kevin Keegan, Kenny Dalglish, Bobby Robson, Terry Venables and Glenn Hoddle and then we will see after that. I think its important I try and tap into as much experience as I can.

“I remember before Euro 96, when I hadn't scored for however many games. A month before the tournament, Terry Venables said to me, you will be starting. I always remember the belief and the confidence that gave me. To me that was a great piece of man management. I will try and pass that on.”

Former Queens Park Rangers, Charlton and Crystal Palace manager Dowie was brought in principally to provide the day to day experience Shearer lacks and he added: “Alan has shown guts to take the job. It would have been easy for him to stay where he was. We have a very open and frank relationship and it works well.”