NEWCASTLE (AFP) - Michael Owen effectively confirmed Newcastle's Premier League survival as the in-form striker sealed a 3-0 win against Reading on Saturday.

The England international striker scored his fourth goal in four games after Obafemi Martins opened the scoring for Kevin Keegan's side at St James' Park. Mark Viduka added a third as Keegan's three-man attack ripped Reading to shreds.

After a woeful first-half of the season, Owen has hit form at just the right time to help Newcastle halt their slide towards the bottom three.

Keegan had to wait nine matches for the first win of his second spell in charge at Newcastle but he has won three in a row now.

This is the first time they have achieved that feat for two years. Perhaps Keegan's second coming will prove as successful as the first after all.

There was a pre-match blow for Keegan when he had to draft in youngster David Edgar as a late replacement for Steven Taylor after the Newcastle defender was sent home with a stomach bug.

Kevin Doyle had the first sight of goal when he got to John Oster's free-kick before Newcastle goalkeeper Steve Harper, but the Irish striker's header drifted wide.

That was as good as it got for the visitors as Newcastle took the lead in the 18th minute.

It was Martins at his best. The Nigerian controlled Nicky Butt's pass and surged past Liam Rosenior, before rounding Cameroon international Andre Bikey and firing past Marcus Hahnemann.

Harper denied Reading striker Dave Kitson a free header when he got his fingertips to Oster's cross.

But Newcastle flexed their muscles again and Owen went close after Mark Viduka dummied Joey Barton's cross, the England striker shooting just over.

Reading couldn't cope with Newcastle's forward line and Owen wasn't going to let them off again when he ran onto Habib Beye's pass two minutes before half-time and hooked a superb shot past Hahnemann.

Newcastle kept up the pressure after the break and Hahnemann had to tip away a Barton cross early in the second half.

Reading were on the ropes Viduka produced the knock-out blow in the 58th minute.

Beye linked up with Viduka to carve open the Reading defence with a swift exchange of passes and the Australian beat Hahnemann with an precise finish.

Barton was close to adding a fourth, while Hahnemann had to make a good save to deny Damien Duff three minutes from time.