England manager Kevin Keegan could again be without Michael Owen for the
friendly in Hungary later this month after the Liverpool star suffered further
hamstring torment.
Owen was forced to pull out of England's European Championship qualifying win
over Poland just three weeks ago due to a hamstring problem picked up in the
defeat at Derby.
The loss of Owen came as a major disappointment to Keegan, which could double
if Owen fails to recover from this latest blow by the time the squad for the
Budapest clash is announced in 10 days time.
The 19-year-old was clearly in trouble after failing to reach a 21st minute
through ball from Steve McManaman, eventually lying sprawled on his back for a
minute before help arrived.
Owen then gingerly limped to the touchline, and after receiving a brief
massage to his right hamstring, shook his head in disdain and disappointment
before calling it a night.
Although seemingly taken off as a precaution, Owen may yet face around three
weeks on the sidelines, just to increase the end of season striking headache for
Reds boss Gerard Houllier.
The Frenchman is already without Robbie Fowler for the last four matches as
part of the forward's recent six-match ban - with Owen's problem just adding
injury to insult.
Fowler is likely to announce tomorrow he will not be appealing against the
suspension and record £32,000 fine levied by the Football Association's
disciplinary commission on Friday.
It proved an unwanted birthday present for the 24-year-old, with the sanctions
imposed for his bust-up with Graeme Le Saux, and for his controversial goal
celebration in the Merseyside derby with Everton.
Tonight, however, Fowler kept his nose clean - so to speak - and had two of
Liverpool's better chances during a game which failed to live up to its
billing.
The Reds were looking for some semblance of respectability after a recent run
of just one win in their last six matches, that in the derby with the Toffees.
In truth, they earned it against a Leeds team who were looking for their
eighth successive victory, a run which would have set a new club record for
victories in the top flight in one season.
But that, and their hopes of their first double over Liverpool for 27 years,
foundered in and around the opposition penalty area.
For once, the normally incisive killer pass was missing as the Reds defence
stood firm, leaving David James relatively untroubled in a game in which he
could have been expected to have seen more of the action.
United had the better opportunities towards the end of the first period as Lee
Bowyer let fly with a 25-yarder which took an awkward bobble in front of James,
who just managed to hold onto the ball.
Australian international Harry Kewell then twice teed up Jimmy Floyd
Hasselbaink in the space of two minutes, the first of which he looked odds-on to
score.
Kewell's deep cross to the far post evaded James, leaving the Dutchman a
side-foot shot from only yards out, but Dominic Matteo produced a goal-denying
block on the line.
Hasselbaink then pulled the trigger on one of his trademark powerful drives,
but was just inches off-target as Liverpool breathed again.
Fowler's double blast came early in the second as a first-time drive was fired
straight at Nigel Martyn, while a minute later an audaciously-attempted
bicycle-kick was blocked by Ian Harte.
As Leeds continued to mis-fire around the box, they resorted to long-range
Bowyer efforts, but two spectacular chances were not too far off beating James.
Despite remaining unbeaten in the league since February 6, the point has done
little to boost United's chances of Champions' League football for next season.
Liverpool, meanwhile, will be keeping their fingers crossed that Owen's injury
will not keep him on the sidelines for too long.
Teams:
Leeds: Martyn, Halle (Jones 21), Woodgate, Radebe, Harte, Hopkin,
Batty, Bowyer, Smith, Hasselbaink, Kewell (Ribeiro 89).
Subs Not Used: Wetherall, Wijnhard, Robinson.
Booked: Hopkin, Batty.
Liverpool: James, Gerrard, Babb, Carragher, Matteo, McManaman,
Ince, Redknapp, Berger, Owen (Riedle 25), Fowler.
Subs Not Used: Ferri, Bjornebye, Thompson, Friedel.
Booked: Berger.
Att: 39,451
Ref: P Jones (Loughborough).
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