Houllier ups the heat on Marseille

GERARD HOULLIER has turned Liverpool's European crunch with Marseille into a grudge match by branding the French players "indecent" for the manner of their celebrations at Anfield a fortnight ago.

And boss Houllier insists he expects European goals expert Michael Owen to punish the men from the south of France by sending Liverpool into the UEFA Cup quarter-finals.

The atmosphere was frosty enough between the sides after boss Houllier expressed his annoyance at the "chanting and singing" Marseille's players endulged in after the 1-1 fourth round, first leg draw. Marseille chief Jose Anigo refused to apologise for the antics of his players then, insisting "I will not say sorry because we celebrated in our dressing room."

But as the sides prepare to clash again in a packed and partisan Stade Velodrome, Houllier has angrily refused to let the matter rest, clearly feeling his team were insulted by disrespectful behaviour.

Now Houllier has gone even further and is certain to stoke up the already heated atmosphere, saying: "I felt they were indecent. They were chanting and singing in their dressing room.

"I was a bit upset by the way they were singing as if the tie was over. I hope they were celebrating the game and result but not the qualification because that is still 90 minutes or more away for both of us."

Liverpool's answer, of course, to any perceived insult is to upset the odds and dump Marseille out of the competition in their own backyard.

And Houllier knows he has the ammunition to achieve such a result in the shape of England striker Owen.

Liverpool are unbeaten in their last eight away legs and Owen finally back to something like his best form has scored seven in those matches. He has already scored in two of Liverpool's three away ties so far in the tournament this term to bring his away goals tally in Europe to 15 in 26 away matches under Houllier, a fraction over a third of the 43 goals Liverpool have struck in those games.

Houllier said of his front man: "It is a great stadium, a great atmosphere and I would bet Michael will score a goal for us here."

Houllier, however, accepts that winning in such volatile stadium will not be easy and that defeat will put huge pressure on the Frenchman and his under-achieving side once again.

But he said: "As it stands we are out of the competition, at 1-1 with them having an away goal. We know we must score to change that. But if we play at the level we can achieve we will give them more than a game.

"They made it very difficult for us at Anfield, they defended with two banks of five and four players and they were difficult to break down. But Fabien Barthez made two great saves at the end of the first leg to help them survive. Even if they play the same way that they did at Anfield we know that we can score. I do not think they have the players to just sit and wait, but if they do we will adapt. But I expect that we will have a bit more freedom and space to play our football."

Houllier also accepts that Liverpool must contain danger man striker Didier Drogba, the Ivory Coast star who scored that crucial late equaliser at Anfield.

Houllier said: "We must stop the service getting to Drogba, he is a very good striker and can cause is trouble. But if we stop the ball getting to him, it is most of the battle. But if we stop the ball getting to him and deny him any space up front than we will achieve our objectives against him."