When Michael Owen is asked to pick the favourite moment of his career, people expect him to mention his World Cup wonder-goal against Argentina, his hat-trick for England in Germany or even winning the Ballon d’Or – he is the last Englishman to do so.
The actual answer always surprises them. It is the FA Cup final of 2001, when he single-handedly won the trophy for Liverpool with two dramatic late goals against Arsenal.
The first was an instinctive half-volley in the box before Patrick Vieira and Martin Keown could react, the winner a blistering run past Lee Dixon and Tony Adams before pinging a strong finish across David Seaman.
I had the best seat in the house to witness it, having been substituted a few minutes earlier after chasing Ashley Cole around in the heat of the Millennium Stadium.
There will doubtless be more airings of ‘the Owen final’ before Arsenal and Liverpool face each other in the FA Cup third round at the Emirates, a game I am covering for BBC television.
Michael Owen has revealed his FA Cup victory with Liverpool in 2001 was his career highlight
Owen scored two dramatic goals in the space of eight second-half minutes to clinch the trophy
Owen sat down to reminisce on his golden day in Cardiff with his close friend Danny Murphy
To get myself in the mood I met up with Michael, still a very good friend from our Liverpool days, to reminisce about that golden day in Cardiff and other wonderful memories.
I was particularly taken by just how enthusiastically he still remembers the final.
‘I try to explain to this generation that as a kid the FA Cup final was everything,’ Michael says. ‘Cameras went on to the bus. Players wore suits before the game. There were all these magical things about the final. Every year felt sunny and we’d invite friends and family to our house to watch it.
‘At half-time, I’d run into our garden. We had one little tree, I’d dribble around it and smack the ball into the garage shouting “Michael Owen has won the FA Cup”.
‘That was my dream as a kid, forget anything else. When I tell people it is the one day in my career I’d live again, people they look at me as if I’ve got two heads! But it’s true.’
It was a remarkable period for both Michael and Liverpool. In 2000-01, we won three trophies – the FA Cup sandwiched between the League Cup and UEFA Cup.
Michael was crowned the best player in the world in 2001, his club exploits matched by his starring role in England’s astonishing 5-1 win over Germany under manager Sven- Goran Eriksson.
He laughs now that the build-up to the Arsenal game was over-shadowed by a ‘boot row’. The match itself did not go to plan either.
For 83 minutes, Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal team were utterly dominant and led 1-0. It was a sweltering day and I’d come off feeling dizzy dealing with Cole.
Crowned the world’s best player in 2001, Owen recalled Arsenal’s players looked tired late on
Michael is happy to recollect his magical day: ‘I’d been left out of the League Cup final in February for Robbie Fowler and Emile Heskey, but wasn’t worried about my FA Cup place because I was banging in goals at the time and had just scored twice against Chelsea.
‘I had a contract with Umbro and they were about to launch a new boot for the following season, which they wanted me to wear for the final.
‘So in training during the week, I started wearing these different boots. The only problem was Gerard Houllier was mad on superstition. Basically he didn’t allow me to wear the new boots because I was on fire with the old ones!
‘Arsenal had great players – Seaman, Adams, Vieira, Robert Pires, Thierry Henry. They were probably considered slightly better than us, but at that age I didn’t have any fear about the opposition.
‘When we’d played Argentina in the 1998 World Cup, I’d only heard of one of their players, Gabriel Batistuta. Not a clue about the rest of them when I stepped over the white line!
‘In Cardiff, I’d hardly had a kick going into the final few minutes, but clung onto the mindset that I’d never played a game and not had a single chance. Finally, Gary McAllister’s free-kick was nodded down by Markus Babbel and the opportunity presented itself.
Fresh from his heroics, Owen (second from left) celebrated the cup glory with his team-mates
‘I’ve never known a game in which the momentum swung so completely in one moment, from all looking lost to “we’re going to win now”. Even though it was still only 1-1, there was total certainty.
‘As I jogged back after scoring I looked up at the clock and thought, “have I got time to finish it now or wait for extra-time!”. I saw Vieira and Henry and they were shot. They’d thrown everything at us.’
With two minutes left, Michael did indeed score the winner and celebrated with a somersault.
I must have felt rough after the game because I didn’t even go downstairs for the celebrations. Instead, I got Doc Waller up to my room. He diagnosed mild sunstroke, but I begged him not to tell the manager because we had a UEFA Cup final against Alaves a few days later.
It worked out well because we completed the hat-trick of trophies. I asked Michael if 2001 was the peak of his powers and, as usual, he replied with searing honesty.
‘It was the peak of my career in terms of what we won and how much I enjoyed it with a terrific group of players. But in terms of personal performance, I was probably better at 18 or 19.
‘Besides the World Cup, I’d also won the Premier League Golden Boot twice as a teenager, which will never be repeated.
‘By 21, I’d already snapped my hamstring so already I was starting to lose a little bit of that blistering speed. I was probably better three or four years earlier.
‘I categorise my career in two halves. The first half was from 17 to 24 with Liverpool and Real Madrid. If I’d mirrored the amount of goals in the second half, I know what I could have achieved.
‘But as soon as I broke my foot with Newcastle and then did my knee at the 2006 World Cup, I was a different player, one that didn’t sprint and had to link play.’
The statistics back him up. Michael scored 28 of his 40 international goals before the age of 25. If he had stayed fit and doubled it to 56, he would be second in the England all-time list behind Harry Kane.
Ditto with Liverpool. He left at 24 having scored 158 goals for the club. Double it and he would have joined Ian Rush as the only player in their history to net more than 300.
Owen brought his winner’s medal from the 2001 final (pictured) and posed alongside Murphy
Unlike Steven Gerrard, Jamie Carragher or Robbie Fowler, who are automatically associated with Liverpool, it has never been quite the same for Michael, even before he signed for Manchester United late in his career.
‘I roomed with Carra and he said early on that even though the Kop were singing my name, I’d never be one of their own like Robbie,’ assesses Michael.
‘He said it was because I got that world stardom in a white kit at the World Cup rather than the red of Liverpool.
‘I protested a bit, what more could I do, no player had ever made an earlier impact for Liverpool or ever will. Carra said ‘I know’ but his argument was they also saw me as an England player.
‘He warned me about it right at the outset and he was right.’ Even so, Michael should not look back with any regrets.
I’ve played with many outstanding strikers, but none had his mindset. Whenever there was a big match, Michael turned up.
I was also reminded of our early days together because of the exploits of 16-year-old darts player Luke Littler, who reached the final of the World Championship last week.
Luke has gone from anonymity to being plastered everywhere and you could multiply that attention many times over for what happened to Michael after the World Cup.
Owen and Murphy bonded during their careers and used to drive back from training together
Because we were both from Chester, we used to drive back together from training and stop off at McDonald’s. The first time we tried it after he had come back from France, Michael was so mobbed. It got intimidating and we needed to get out. It was a little glimpse into his new life.
When I mentioned the young darts lad, Michael naturally had sympathy but was also pragmatic. The price of the ticket is having to deal with all the attention.
‘We had people going through our bins and everything like that, but overall I liked the whole experience. I saw it as a test. Sport at the highest level is not just physical, but mental as well.
‘Besides ability, being a champion is about dedication, mindset, determination, calmness amd the maturity not to be a big-head. It is the whole package.
‘A lot of people have talent but if you crack mentally, whether under pressure from your sporting rivals or the media or whatever, that is part of the game.’
Sunday’s game is fascinating. I fancy Liverpool to get a draw and win the replay at Anfield. Michael thinks the Gunners might make fewer changes, which could swing it.
Darwin Nunez is bound to be a central figure. The Uruguayan is adored by the Kop, despite scoring just once in 11 matches, something Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp will want rectifying with Mo Salah off to the Africa Cup of Nations.
I think you either have an instinct for goals or you don’t, but Gary Lineker – who should know – insists finishing can be worked upon and improved. Michael is in broad agreement with his fellow former striker.
‘I know people think Nunez misses chances, but he offers something a little bit different. To me, he’s at his best when he doesn’t have to think about it, like his two goals at Newcastle. His volleying is also brilliant.
‘Then again, when he has the time to think about a one-on-one, you pull your hair out.
‘You can improve finishing. Mo Salah is an absolute shining light for that. He couldn’t finish for toffee at Chelsea, now the way he takes a lot of his chances are brilliant.’
Nunez is 24, but Owen thinks you have to treat him like a younger player to iron out the flaws in his game.
‘For his age and transfer fee [£64million plus £21m in add-ons], I thought he’d be a lot more rounded.
Darwin Nunez may well be crucial in the upcoming tie but his finishing must be worked upon
Owen believes Nunez can blossom into a special player with guidance from his coaches
‘He’s brilliant at a couple of things it’s difficult to do and some of the basics that you learn as a 10-year-old, he is still really raw.
‘If the coaches at Liverpool can work on him, he can be absolutely anything. Really special.
‘For him, it is about doing that repetition training in front of goal. It looks during matches as if he doesn’t know what type of finish he should go for.
‘When a ball drops to me now, even at 44, I don’t have to think about what I’m going to do because I’ve practised so many millions of times. I still know what to try even if I can’t execute it nowadays!
‘It feels to me that Nunez doesn’t know what is coming next. He had a chance at Anfield against Newcastle at the Kop End that wasn’t a difficult finish, he could have gone early with his left foot.
‘But he’s worth persevering with because he has something about him. He’d be in my front three for Liverpool and as a manager I’d take him ahead of Gabriel Jesus.
Gabriel Jesus must step up and contribute to an Arsenal team currently struggling for goals
‘Nunez still has big gaps, but if you could fill them he could be something special.’
Personally, I would love to have played behind Nunez, because as a midfielder I Iiked strikers who made runs in behind. As for Arsenal, it’s noticeable they are the only team in the top seven without anyone in double figures for goals this season.
‘They do need more goals. Bukayo Saka is the only player contributing enough. You need more from Gabriel Martinelli and Jesus,’ agrees Michael.
‘Having said that, for this game I think Liverpool might rest a few players and Mo Salah is away.
‘Arsenal might go with a strong line-up, whereas Liverpool have other priorities, including a Carabao Cup semi-final on Wednesday.
‘I’m going to let my head rule my heart here and think Arsenal might nick it, but I hope I’m wrong!’
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