Soccer: Owen injury scare fades

Liverpool have claimed Michael Owen will be ready for the game at the Stadium of Light on Saturday and therefore England fans will hope to see him feature in the World Cup warm-up match with Paraguay next week.

Their star striker walked unaided - but slowly and tentatively - at lunchtime when the squad boarded the flight back to Liverpool from Cologne airport.

Owen’s strike partner Emile Heskey could miss both matches as he picked up a hamstring strain last night.

Owen, who has only recently returned to the team after a hamstring injury, could have had a hat-trick in the match.

Houllier, however, was keen to compliment his player for the effort he put in.

‘‘Michael had a good game, he fought hard and got himself into good positions,’’ said the Liverpool manager.

‘‘I know he will get a lot of criticism for not scoring but I was pleased with him.

‘‘Michael had three good chances but sometimes you have to accept your strikers might not score.’’

Houllier believes his squad have made marvellous progress despite crashing out at the quarter-final stage in dramatic fashion.

Leverkusen advanced through to the semi-finals 4-3 on aggregate thanks to Lucio’s 84th-minute winner.

Houllier said: ‘‘Our disappointment comes from the fact we were 11 minutes from the semi-final.

‘‘We will obviously reflect on the campaign but we have to give the players credit for the progress they have made over the past year.

‘‘If at the beginning of the campaign someone had told me that we would have played in the quarter-finals of the Champions League, I think everyone would have settled for that.

‘‘We had the possibility to go through and that leaves us feeling a little bit bitter.

‘‘But the fact is that without playing so well over two legs we came within inches of qualifying.

‘‘That shows the improvement of the team and we can build on that.

‘‘It took Manchester United three times before they reached the quarter-final stage. Arsenal twice did not get past the first stage.

‘‘We have gone on a run of 17 European games and lost just two to Barcelona and Leverkusen.’’

Houllier insists he will not be panicked into making wholesale changes to his playing staff.

‘‘We have to learn our lessons, see what we are missing in our team and try and step up another level,’’ he said.

‘‘We have won five trophies, got into the Champions League and are still in contention for the title. I don’t think there is a lot more we can do.

‘‘I don’t think we should panic. I certainly have great belief in the squad.’’