Why Michael Owen's Manchester derby goal will only cement his status as Liverpool's most hated ex-player

By David Maddock

Published 15:33 22/09/09

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Even as Michael Owen's shot hit the back of the net on Sunday, the texts started.

Most were from Manchester United fans saying they never doubted him, and were always happy having a "Scouser" in their team. Oh, and it's really no problem that a high-profile former Liverpool player was wearing the iconic Old Trafford number seven shirt. Some just said: "Agggggghhhhhh!"

Others were from Liverpool fans which, surprisingly, were less aggressive, but rather more resigned. 'We knew he was bound to score in this game..and he'll no doubt save his next goal for Anfield in a few weeks' time was the general gist from Merseyside.

But one was from a former Anfield team-mate of Owen's, who is still held in rather high esteem by the Kop, and who still treasures his relationship with the fanatical Reds support. It read: "I feel sorry for Michael, This is going to make the Liverpool fans like him that little bit less.."

In a way, I feel sorry for him too (though not too sorry given his wages!). While Michael Owen was admired by the Kop, and valued for his goal-scoring prowess, he was never, ever loved, and never really liked that much if the truth be known, even though he deserved to be.

I'm not really sure why. It was probably because he came along only a few years after Robbie Fowler, who was revered and loved by the fans in equal measure. He was a true football idol, an iconic figure. Let's face it, he was God.

Fowler was a local boy from the heart of Liverpool, while Owen was always seen as a Welsh outsider, even though his family were originally from the City. Fowler was one of the lads who was always up to mischief, while Owen never put a foot wrong. Fowler was endearingly fallible, very human and one of the greatest natural strikers to have graced Anfield.

Owen was none of those. Though he still possessed a rare talent, for all his statistics at Liverpool, Fowler's were better. And most importantly, he never enjoyed the warm relationship with the fans that the Growler did.

Robbie is now playing his trade in Australia, and just as popular there as he was on Merseyside, his mixture of fun and goalscoring talent still a winning combination. He is actually doing rather well with North Queensland Fury, scoring important goals and endearing himself to the fans.

On a poll on the club's website, in the vote for the most popular player, he polls twice as many votes as the rest of the squad put together, and he has won Aussie TV's goal of the week for three weeks on the run.

And by doing this thousands of miles away, he will only gain in reputation with the Liverpool fans, who will regard him as a true Anfield legend, and worship him until the end of his days.

Owen, on the other hand, will probably receive the most hostile reception of any visiting player to Anfield upon his return next month since.. well, since they invented Gary Neville.

His status slipped when he led the club into believing he would sign a new deal, then forced them to sell him at a cut price to Real Madrid because he had managed to get within a year of the end of his contract.

It slipped more when he said to Rafa Benitez he was unwilling to sit in Madrid's reserves for a few months to force the price down on his move back to Anfield, because of his England World Cup ambitions, and chose instead to join Newcastle.

It slipped almost to rock bottom on Sunday, and can only go lower if he scores - as he surely will - when United visit Anfield on October 25.

It is a shame, because he is a lovely lad, a wonderful footballer, and he has never done anything wrong in his career other than to wish to play at the highest level.

You can not blame him in the slightest for taking the chance to move to Old Trafford at the age of 29, especially when the alternatives were Hull and Stoke.

In fact, perhaps the only criticism you could have of him is that he unwisely accepted the iconic number seven shirt there when he joined, to place himself alongside the likes of Best, Robson,Cantona, Beckham and Ronaldo.. which just seems wrong.

But for Liverpool fans, he is history - he is dead and gone. And not just because he isn't Robbie Fowler.

They will never forgive him for pulling on the United shirt, number seven on the back or not.

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