Owen’s return to the big time turns sour

POOR Michael Owen.

He strode out for his first cup final at Wembley and after 13 minutes slotted home one of those instinctive goals which used to epitomise his career.

No doubt he looked up at England manager Fabio Capello in the Wembley stands as if to say “that is what you need in South Africa in the summer?”.

Then he did what Owen has done so often over the past six years. He broke down. Limped off with another injury.

Another strain of the tautest hamstrings in the English game.

Of course, Owen’s presence at the World Cup finals had always been a long shot considering he has been little more than a sideshow during Capello’s reign.

The compensation for United fans was that Owen’s going brought Wayne Rooney, suffering a touch of flu, off the bench and on to the stage.

Manager Alex Ferguson said: “He (Owen) did really well for us and it was a good performance from him.

“It’s maybe our fault too. He’s not had a lot of minutes recently and that soft pitch didn’t help him. It’s a bad blow for us.”

The effect of the substitution was a bit like Clark Kent emerging from a phone box after discarding his suit and spectacles.

It was not that Rooney did anything particularly spectacular.

Indeed at first he struggled to influence proceedings. Until, that is, he rose to head home Antonio Valencia’s cross after 74 minutes. It was his fifth consecutive headed goal. Seven out of his last eight goals have been headers.

Quite a statistic that when you consider he had scored only four headed goals in his career before this season.

That is the wonder of Wayne and why this final will go down as the Rooney final.

It was a fine decider, with Alex Ferguson tucking away the 32nd major trophy of his Manchester United reign.

The United manager was a happy man at the final whistle, stating: “In the main we were the better team but credit to Aston Villa’s performance. In the last 10 minutes when they started shoving up that big brigade of theirs it was like the Alamo. They had a go. Dunne had a back post header and missed altogether. You need a bit of luck in these situations.”

Ferguson, however, moved quickly onto looking forward to the next trophy, whether it be a 12th Premier League title or his third Champions League trophy.

He said: “We show time and time again this club has got the determination. They don’t give in. It’s a good quality to have and you’ll see that in the last part of the season. It was a good result for us on Saturday with Chelsea losing (against Manchester City. Arsenal are back in the frame with the easiest programme on paper. It will be an interesting run-in.”

And on winning his fifth league cup he added: “You’ve got to enjoy it, that’s why we are in it. You have to accept what you can get in this life. Winning this trophy is special to us. Any trophy is good.

“You’re in this game to win and I appreciate everything we have achieved as a club and I appreciate the luck I’ve carried. That’s important.

“I’ve lost finals and it’s not easy when you lose a final. The only way you can enjoy Wembley is winning.”