Symons said: "Liverpool and Michael Owen were awesome. If people think there's something wrong with him, they ought to be out there on the receiving end to just realise how good he really is.
"It's not just about scoring goals, that will come back, no danger. But his movement, pace and workrate was astounding. We never once caught him offside, so his timing was spot on.
"When you've played against him you realise that all the rubbish said about him and his form is just that, rubbish.
"Liverpool are all under a certain amount of pressure, but him more than most because he's a goalscorer and a world-class player. He's bound to be under a great deal of pressure but he's obviously a great pro, an exceptional player.
"He'll handle all that. If he'd scored one he'd have got a hat trick, there's no doubt. He needs one lucky break and then he's up and running.
"He does an awful lot of very good things, and I watched him on TV against Middlesbrough setting up Liverpool's goal. He's just missing the final touch, that little piece of luck.
"There's nothing else wrong with him, I can assure you of that after spending so much time chasing him around."