Owen expects red-hot reception

18 October 2009 12:01
Michael Owen is under no illusions that he will receive a hostile reception at Anfield when he returns to Liverpool next weekend. Former Liverpool hero Owen returns to Anfield for the first time with Manchester United next Sunday since his surprise switch to Old Trafford. Owen has been warned by former Reds team-mate Jamie Carragher that he could be the subject of discontent from Liverpool fans for joining their arch-rivals. The 29-year-old is fully expecting to receive jeers from the Liverpool faithful and he insists the reception will not bother him Owen told the Mail on Sunday Magazine: "I'm human. I'd prefer people to sit down and recognise what you did for them and for the team in years gone past but I'm pretty realistic as well and now that I'm playing for their arch rivals... I'm not holding my breath, put it that way." Former Newcastle and Real Madrid Owen also revealed he has no problem not being a regular starter at United. Owen has found his path to the starting XI blocked by Wayne Rooney and Dimitar Berbatov, but insists he will not complain about his lack of action. "I think if I was 19 or 20, playing really well and scoring loads of goals and being constantly on the bench, then I'd definitely have a different outlook than now, when I've played a long time," added Owen. "I've not been left out of the squad since I've been there and it's great. I feel part of the team, part of the squad. "The manager's said to me that I'll play my fair share of games. In any case,' he points out, 'if you'd said to me in the summer, 'You're going to go to Manchester United and be the fourth-choice striker and start ten games and come off the bench ten times, and that's your lot', then I would have snapped your hand off."

Source: SKY_Sports