Houllier praises Owen... again

Last updated : 24 September 2003 By Adam Bryant
"Never mind the goals," said the Liverpool boss. "To me Michael's all-round contribution to he game is now phenomenal. He works so hard for the team.

"He never hides. He's always contributing to every action in the game.
What I like about him is that his game awareness has improved and I still think the best is yet to come from him.

"He has the skill but also the will to improve all the time. That is a major asset. Nowadays you need to explain why you do things at the top level, not just tell players what to do, and Michael is always looking to learn.

"He has the mental assets for the very top. He's a winner. The good thing about Michael is now it is not just a question of his pace.

"But now it is his all-round game that impresses, the way he links with players and his game awareness.

"He's more open to the game itself. He's a team player. And he's on the way to becoming the complete player."