Owen humiliated as striker is left out of Anfield clash with his former club

02 May 2009 20:43
Michael Owen faces a double dose of humiliation on Sunday when he makes an emotional return to Liverpool and the ground where he made his name as the most exciting teenage striker in Europe. Owen is set to be dropped for a game at Anfield that is crucial to Newcastle's future as manager Alan Shearer opts to start with Peter Lovenkrands, an unsung Dane who arrived at St James' Park in January on a free transfer. And the 29-year-old's hopes of a dream move back to his beloved Liverpool in the summer have been firmly ruled out by manager Rafael Benitez, even though Owen would be available on a free transfer. The only silver lining for Newcastle ahead of a game they cannotafford to lose is that Liverpool's star striker, Fernando Torres, is amajor doubt with a hamstring injury after taking part in only limitedtraining sessions over the past 72 hours. Shearer, accused of sitting on the fence too often as a TV pundit, is prepared to show his bold side as he seeks his first win as interim manager standing in for Joe Kinnear. With Newcastle stuck in the bottom three and staring a financially-catastrophic relegation in the face, Shearer is prepared to sacrifice Owen, his close friend, after a spell of one goal in 14 games to accommodate the only two fit left-footed players at the club, Lovenkrands and Damien Duff. 

Source: Daily_Mail