Owen fails to make Liverpool team

Michael Owen failed to recover sufficiently from his ankle injury to even make the 16-man Liverpool squad to face their bitter rivals.

It meant the only change from the leg-sapping slog through the Bucharest mud on Thursday in the UEFA Cup was the return of Vladimir Smicer on the left of midfield in place of John Arne Riise.

Manchester United, who completed a league double over their Anfield foes last season, left the unpredictable skills of Cristiano Ronaldo on the bench and included John O’Shea – their only change from the Champions League victory over Rangers on Tuesday.

All eyes will be on Liverpool goalkeeper Jerzy Dudek, who in this fixture last term managed two howlers that gifted goals to Diego Forlan.

Latest score: Liverpool 0 Manchester United 0.