Injury will keep Owen out of action until the New Year

LIVERPOOL striker Michael Owen will not return to the first team until the New Year as he is still struggling to overcome a thigh injury.

The news yesterday that the England forward will miss the entire Christmas programme is a blow to under-fire manager Gerard Houllier, who is facing mounting criticism after his side slipped to ninth in the Premier League following a 2-1 home defeat to Southampton on Saturday.

Talk around Anfield last week had been about Owen possibly returning this coming weekend for the game against Wolves, but the player has suffered another setback.