Owen includes Shearer and Beckham in his best Three Lions XI

Michael Owen has sensationally included Alan Shearer and David Beckham in his best England XI just days after hitting out at the pair in his new book.

Owen was asked by BBC Sport to list the Three Lions' best line-up since his international debut in 1998 and the former striker put aside personal differences to include the duo.

Following the release of his new book Reboot — My Life, My Time, Owen became embroiled in a fiery Twitter spat with Shearer which reignited their ongoing feud.

Owen traded barbed insults with his former England strike partner over claims he didn't want to sign for Newcastle in 2005.

Owen also criticised Shearer for his 'dire' record as Newcastle manager when they suffered relegation from the Premier League in 2009.

Shearer hit back on social media when posting a clip in which Owen admitted to hating the last seven years of his career and said he could not wait to retire.

The Newcastle legend commented: 'Yes Michael, we thought that also, whilst on £120k per week…'

But Owen responded by questioning Shearer's own loyalty to the club.

'Not sure you are as loyal to Newcastle as you make out mate,' he wrote on Twitter. 'I distinctly remember you being inches away from signing for Liverpool after Sir Bobby Robson put you on the bench. You tried everything to get out.'

Another of Owen's former team-mates, who he selected for the starting XI, was also in the firing line as Owen revealed he still resents Beckham for getting sent off during the 1998 England vs Argentina World Cup last-16 match.

The former Manchester United star received his marching orders early in the second half of last-16 tie with the game finely poised at 2-2 for a silly kick on Diego Simeone.

He wrote: 'What David did that day hadn't let every single one of that England team down.

'Did he deserve the abuse he got from the press afterwards? Certainly not. What human being needs to see his or her effigy being burned? But David let us down, and I still hold some resentment about it today.'

Owen omitted himself from the starting XI and went on to name Wayne Rooney as Shearer's strike partner in a 3-5-2 formation with Glenn Hoddle as the manager.

Owen believes it was 'strikingly obvious' that England should've adopted the 3-5-2 formation during his playing days instead of the 4-4-2.

David Seaman was the man selected to be in between the sticks while John Terry, Sol Campbell and Rio Ferdinand sit just in front of Seaman in the back three.

Owen deploys Beckham and Ashley Cole as the wing-backs while Steven Gerrard, Paul Scholes, Frank Lampard are the three tasked with making things tick in the middle.

After naming his side, Owen spoke about his brief history while playing alongside Shearer for both club and country.

He said: 'When I was growing up I would've been looking at Alan thinking: 'What a player.'

'I managed to muscle my way into the team to play alongside him at the 1998 World Cup and then played with him up front at the European Championship in 2000 as well. We scored plenty of goals together.

'He was then a big influence in me going to Newcastle United and we were big mates at that point.

'On the big stage, if you're thinking, 'I need someone to finish or take a penalty', he had absolute nerves of steel. He had a huge amount of self-belief and confidence.

'In recent years, you can't mention England centre-forwards in general without mentioning him.'