Ex-Liverpool star Michael Owen’s “dagger in heart” Liverpool treatment and why he told lies to Sir Alex Ferguson

When he chose to move to Manchester United despite having lied to Sir Alex Ferguson about his intentions in the past, Michael Owen, who was once revered at Liverpool, burned those bridges.

When he first entered the scene as a teenager, Michael Owen ignited both the World Cup and the Premier League.

There is still a sense of what if because the Liverpool academy star’s injuries prevented him from realizing his full potential despite a career that held out so much promise.
An Englishman who won the Ballon d’Or for the final time and the only Red to do so.
He won the Golden Boot twice with Liverpool in the late 1990s.

Owen’s controversial decision to cross the red line and the chilly reception it received at Anfield gave Manchester United the opportunity to experience his abilities. One of the most naturally gifted forwards this country has ever seen continues to polarize opinion despite an iconic victory in a Manchester derby that won him the Stretford End’s affection.

In Merseyside, Robbie Fowler was referred to as “God.”. He shared the field with Alan Shearer at Newcastle, a legend. He always had his previous connections with him while he was in Manchester.

Liverpool’s exit brings heartache.
When he visited Anfield with the Red Devils in 2009, those connections came back to haunt him. When Sir Alex Ferguson signed Owen on a free, he was already seeing the benefits as he pursued a fourth consecutive league championship.

Given the animosity between the two clubs, winning at Liverpool was always difficult, and one afternoon in October, United found themselves behind thanks to a Fernando Torres goal. With 16 minutes remaining, Owen entered the game in an effort to defeat the team and the adoring fans.

It was a cold welcome.
Never would it have been.
The jeers reverberated throughout the stadium, but it appears that Owen was unable to stop the hit that would be directed at him.

In an interview with Off The Ball in 2018, Owen stated: “When I go back to Anfield and one or two people booed me, it was like a dagger in my heart for what I did for the club and how I felt about it. also how I still feel. “.

Trips back to Anfield had not been kind to Owen, to put it mildly, especially when he attempted to go back to Liverpool soon after leaving in 2004. However, Rafa Benitez declined to match Newcastle’s offer, and as a result, the striker was forced to play on Merseyside as an away player.

On Boxing Day in 2005, Liverpool won easily. As Owen turned to the Kop, the section where his name used to be sung, he saw cutouts and reminders of the European Cup final victory just months earlier than he had missed out on. As a result, former teammates Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher were permanently inscribed in the club’s history.

Liar Fergie.
Due to his time spent playing for Manchester United, Owen did manage to win the Premier League, something that eluded Gerrard and Carragher. Despite being in his 20s at the time of his move to Manchester, it was by no means the occasion on which the 89-cap England international reignited his career.

He was more frequently used as a squad player, which resulted in 17 goals over his three seasons at Old Trafford. Despite once being the most sought-after frontman in the nation, he has fallen behind players like Wayne Rooney and Dimitar Berbatov in the hierarchy.

At Melwood, when Owen was a rising star, Ferguson had the chance to win over the young man. As United chased down their tally of Premier League titles at this point, Liverpool was being replaced as England’s premier club by United, but Owen’s heart was firmly at Anfield – not that he ever admitted as much.

The Premier League Storybook previously quoted him as saying: “I’ll never forget it, Sir Alex Ferguson, when I was only very young, and he literally looked me in the eye in his office at Old Trafford, again on game day. I immediately responded “yes” when he asked if I wanted to play for Manchester United after giving me a quick look.

I was performing at the club, so I essentially gave him lip service. Naturally, I would later play for him at Manchester United. Of course, my only interest at the time was to play for Liverpool. “.

After his contract with Newcastle expired, Owen eventually decided to accept the opportunity to play for Ferguson by joining the Red Devils, but not before he underwent a thorough medical examination despite numerous injury concerns.

Ferguson, however, declared after getting his man: “Michael is a world-class forward with a proven track record of scoring goals at the highest level, and that has never been in doubt. Michael will be excited to arrive at Manchester United with the expectations we have. “.

Following his departure from Manchester United, Owen reflected on his time there and told the Daily Mail: “I’m respected at Man United; the derby winner, Champions League hat-trick, and goal in a cup final. We both understand that I am not one of their own, but we still share respect for one another and fond memories. “.