Michael Owen gave a massive boost to England boss Kevin Keegan by scoring and sparkling at Pride Park as Liverpool boosted their Champions' League credentials.

Owen, starting for only the second time since his latest comeback, hit his first goal this year after 17 minutes against relegation-threatened Derby.

Owen, still a little short of match fitness, was replaced by Titi Camara after 72 minutes when Liverpool, despite their complete dominance, had not quite made the game safe.

But Camara scored a goal to rival that of Owen's with just four minutes remaining, skipping through the desperate Rams defence and firing home to seal a richly-deserved win.

Jim Smith's Rams were dominated by an excellent team performance from Gerard Houllier's men and the three points remained in little danger in the closing stages even before Camara's clincher.

Owen's goal was right out of the top drawer. He received a magnificent cross-field pass from Reds defender Sami Hyypia and, jinking on the edge of the box, he wrongfooted the Rams rearguard before firing clinically into the corner of the net to goalkeeper Mart Poom's right.

Owen's movement on and off the ball shone throughout and 10 minutes before his substitution he was given a glorious chance to make the game safe.

He was put clear by Patrik Berger but, shooting on the run, he fired narrowly wide of the target.

Owen had also had his chances in the first period after Derby's early promise had subsided.

Giorgi Kinkladze once again posed the biggest threat for Derby, who started the day perched just two points above the relegation zone despite a run of two defeats in their last nine Premiership matches.

Branko Strupar, watched by 300 of his Belgian countrymen in the record Pride Park crowd, almost equalised on the half-hour mark when he was put through by the tireless Kinkladze but shot straight at keeper Sander Westerveld.

After that chance the first period was all Liverpool with Steven Gerrard marshalling the midfield and their back line coping admirably with whatever the home side could throw at them.

The superb Gerrard put Berger in the clear but the Czech was adjudged narrowly offside.

Owen nearly increased his tally after 35 minutes when, his confidence clearly returning in bucket-loads, he attempted an audacious effort from the left side of the box which sailed narrowly over Poom's top corner.

Emile Heskey, who was outshone by his new strike partner, was then inches from connecting with Gerrard's free-kick.

And on the stroke of half-time Owen could have made it two when Heskey flipped Westerveld's goalkick into the danger zone and Owen again got to the ball first only to shoot straight at Poom.

Derby's chance to make Liverpool pay came after 67 minutes when Seth Johnson crossed from the left and Strupar, directly in front of goal, headed straight at Westerveld.

Liverpool made the game safe when substitute Camara scored his brilliant second with four minutes left.

Played in by an excellent cross from Dominic Matteo, Camara evaded the challenge of Horacio Carbonari and fired calmly to Poom's right.

Berger ought to have made it three in injury time when he was put clear by Camara but, racing into the box, his first touch let him down and Poom raced out of his box to dribble clear.

Teams

Derby: Poom, Carbonari (Schnoor 79), Powell (Sturridge 85), Johnson, Delap, Laursen, Elliott, Kinkladze, Eranio, Christie, Strupar.

Subs Not Used: Oakes, Prior, Robinson.

Booked: Carbonari, Elliott.

Liverpool: Westerveld, Henchoz, Hyypia, Matteo, Carragher, Thompson, Gerrard, Berger, Hamann, Owen (Camara 72), Heskey (Redknapp 88).

Subs Not Used: Staunton, Meijer, Friedel.

Goals: Owen 17, Camara 86.

Att: 33,378

Ref: B Knight (Orpington).