Houllier reckons Owen is a ‘split second’ off goal rush pace

MICHAEL OWEN is a ‘‘split second’’ away from his scoring best claims Liverpool boss Gerard Houllier.

But as Liverpool return to the scene of one of last season's setbacks when they lost at Bolton a defeat which ended Sander Westerveld's goalkeeping career at the club and led to the signing of Jerzy Dudek and Chris Kirkland Houllier has no doubts that Owen is on the brink of a goal deluge.

Houllier has felt the need this week to talk to his players and implore that they don't lose their nerve as Liverpool try to change their style and become an attack-minded team.

A return to goalscoring form by Owen would certainly help the cause after he's scored just once from the penalty spot in seven games for club and country this term.

Now Houllier admits: ''Michael just needs to fine tune his sharpness. He's just a split second away, and once that has happened he will score a lot.

''He has admitted that once he has done that, and maybe it will take a week, that his fitness will be right after the World Cup.

''Apart from Didi Hamann, I have not seen many World Cup players perform well, and that's because it is the start of the season. It may be just a split second of sharpness that is needed.''