Houllier: Owen's goals are here
GERARD Houllier confronts arguably the toughest period of his Liverpool managerial career insisting his players have learned to live with the pressure - and that Michael Owen will be at Anfield next season.
Owen has still not signed a new contract as Liverpool prepare to face Birmingham today and Newcastle next week in games that will decide if they qualify for the Champions League.
Owen is approaching the final year of his contract and he may wait to see if Liverpool clinch fourth place in the Premiership before committing his future to Anfield.
Houllier does not want the Owen saga to impinge on a vital week in the club's history but is convinced the player will not leave this summer.
The Frenchman said: "I firmly believe he will be with us next season."
That is the only break in the silence over Owen's contract talks that Houllier will make.
But it is still enough to put his neck on the line and could surely only have come with knowledge of the ongoing discussions between Owen, his agent Tony Stephens and chief executive Rick Parry.
An announcement before the season's end is unlikely but there is a growing feeling Liverpool could sort out the 24-year-old's future before Euro 2004.
Victories over Birmingham and Newcastle would certainly increase the prospect of that happening as the Champions League would provide Owen with the stage he craves.
Qualifying would also allow Gerard Houllier more money for reinforcements beyond that of Djibril Cisse from Auxerre.
"It is pressure, but we enjoy it. Living at this level with the tough season of injuries we have had, I must take my hat off to the players for still holding onto fourth place, something they have done for several weeks despite the way we are being portrayed.
"Credit to the players, they have kept their heads up despite what has been going on around the club. We will manage the pressure."
Liverpool have kept ahead of Newcastle and Aston Villa in the race for fourth place, with battling wins over Manchester United and Middlesbrough.
Houllier points to a showdown with his players a couple of weeks ago that has sparked a "change of attitude" and greater commitment.
"These things were part of the talk we had before the Manchester United game. It is a change of attitude from them.
"Our destiny is in our hands and we're in control. We know exactly what the job is and we cannot wait. The team seems to be fitter and better and I firmly believe they will give everything I ask of them."
Meanwhile, David O'Leary is urging Aston Villa to snatch a Champions League spot from under the noses of Newcastle and Liverpool by warning: "Such a chance will not come around again for a long time."
O'Leary's side meet mid-table Southampton today and then have a final-day home clash against Manchester United, who could have one eye on the FA Cup final.
"I don't think this chance for Aston Villa will come around for a long time because I don't think Liverpool or Newcastle will show such poor form in the league again for a long time.
"I say that because their wage bills, budgets and squads are geared around finishing in the top four. Our budget is maybe geared to finishing around the top 10.
"We have to try to seize this chance but if the players don't manage it there will be no criticism because they have done fantastically this season."
O'Leary will be looking for a helping hand from Birmingham, who face Liverpool in a teatime kick-off.
He said: "First of all I want to deal with our game at Southampton, get on the coach and listen to the Birmingham game on the way home.
"But I want to listen to it after we've made sure we've got our own good result in the bag. Then I'll cheer Birmingham on."
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