Injury will keep Owen out of action until the New Year
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.
Owen last played in the UEFA Cup second round second leg victory over Steaua Bucharest at Anfield on November 27 but limped off a minute from time with the thigh injury.
He has played only five times since October 4 and his absence during the forthcoming month could deal a severe blow to Liverpool’s hopes of getting their quest for Cham-
pions League qualification back on track.
Meanwhile, Gerard Houllier remains confident Liverpool can claim a place in next season’s Champions League. The Anfield manager is under increasing pressure following Saturday’s home defeat by Southampton.
Liverpool legends Tommy Smith and Ian St John have criticised Houllier, especially over his buying policy.
But the Frenchman is convinced the team can turn the corner once players like Owen, Harry Kewell and Milan Baros regain full fitness.
Houllier said: “We have six first-team players out and it is difficult. We were missing a lot of important players but we still should have won the game and, so far, we are only three points away from the Champions League.
“Instead of putting Martin O’Neill (Celtic manager) back in the picture, perhaps you can explain that this is why we are struggling. My focus is on my team, not on what is said and written.
“The chairman (David Moores) said something earlier in the week which is merely what I have been saying all along, and yet it was made to sound like if we don’t finish fourth I’ll get the sack. So what? Not a problem.”
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