All is finally well in the Anfield world, with Michael Owen and Robbie Fowler on the scoresheet together for the first time this season.

The pair have been had a multitude of injuries since the summer, and Liverpool's best strike pairing - maybe even England's - have suffered months of frustration.

But Owen, a few further weeks into his comeback than Fowler, broke the deadlock against a belligerent, determined Wimbledon, and then substitute Fowler snapped up his third of the season to finally kill off the South Londoners.

It was Fowler's 150th goal in his Liverpool career, and as the Merseysiders cruise into the next century in buoyant mood, they must be the team coming from the pack that all the top dogs fear now.

The victory firmly established Liverpool as genuine title contenders as they stretched their current run to just one defeat in 12 league games.

The aspirations of boss Gerard Houllier's side have expanded by the week. From wanting to finish in the top six, to being UEFA Cup contenders to now clearly being in the shake-up for the Champions League.

They met Wimbledon's fire with fire and passion of their own, upped their tempo after being stalled in the first half, and eventually swept Egil Olsen's team aside.

Anfield chief Gerard Houllier was forced to field five youngsters, including a central midfield pairing of Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher following the late withdrawal of German midfielder Dietmar Hamann with flu.

Against an organised, physical and efficient team like Wimbledon, that was a gamble but Liverpool's young stars more than handled it, even if the game was continually slowed down because of the style of deep defence adopted by the Dons.

It meant the home side had plenty of the ball as they probed for the gaps. Up front Owen was a constant threat while Titi Camara seemed the one player with invention and a touch of the unexpected.

Chances though were few, with Wimbledon managing just one first-half shot, a lob from Israeli Walid Badir that cleared Sander Westerveld's bar.

Apart from that, it was a case of Liverpool struggling to find space. Camara, Gerrard and Danny Murphy combined after two minutes in a move that ended with the African striker seeing a shot deflected wide. From Murphy's corner, skipper Sami Hyypia rose to send a towering header wide.

After 12 minutes Hyypia broke up a Wimbledon attack and sent Camara racing away, the resulting laid-back cross being struck wide by Gerrard, who raced up in support.

Soon after, a scampering Owen run and pass ended with Camara jinking round three men in a tight space to fire in a shot which was held by Neil Sullivan. But there was precious little else to warm a cold Anfield crowd.

Wimbledon lost defender Alan Kimble with a hamstring injury after 32 minutes, Carl Cort coming on, with Ben Thatcher - a long-term Liverpool target - reverting to left-back with Trond Anderson moving into the back four.

The changes did not alter Wimbledon's approach and Owen was being forced out wide to find space, but it almost produced a breakthrough after 40 minutes when Murphy's long ball was collected by the England youngster on his chest, before he spun to drive in a shot that Sullivan held low to his right.

Liverpool needed to inject far more pace and passion into their second-half display - and Gerrard and Carragher became more forceful while Patrik Berger was at last prepared to take on defenders.

Berger's surge down the right before seeing a shot deflected over, paved the way for Liverpool's first goal after 58 minutes.

Murphy curled the corner into the six-yard box, and there was Owen to poach a goal from a yard out, slamming his shot into the roof of the net.

A minute later Fowler came on for Murphy to join Liverpool's assault. But Wimbledon, more than capable of mixing it, responded with pace and fire of their own.

They were level after 64 minutes when Kenny Cunningham's long ball in from the right found Marcus Gayle unmarked beyond the far post and the towering Dons striker headed over Westerveld.

However, Liverpool's confidence is brimming these days, and they were soon back on the attack. After 66 minutes Sullivan made a spectacular save when Camara found the ball at his feet six yards out. The Scotland keeper hurled himself forward to deflect the shot over the bar.

A minute later, with Vladimir Smicer on for Owen, Liverpool were ahead again. Following a free-kick on the edge of the box for handball against Hermann Hreidarsson, Berger stepped up to curl a cracker over the wall and past Sullivan.

Cort saw a header drop inches wide as Wimbledon hit back, but they were finally finished off by Fowler with 11 minutes left.

Stephane Henchoz's long ball out of defence was flicked on by Smicer and Fowler nipped in to head cleverly over the advancing Sullivan.

It was the perfect end for Fowler, and Liverpool, after a troubled year.

Teams:

Liverpool: Westerveld, Matteo, Henchoz, Hyypia, Heggem, Berger, Carragher, Murphy (Fowler 59), Gerrard, Owen (Smicer 65), Camara (Song 90).

Subs Not Used: Staunton, Nielsen.

Goals: Owen 58, Berger 68, Fowler 80.

Wimbledon: Sullivan, Cunningham, Kimble (Cort 33), Thatcher, Badir (Francis 76), Earle, Leaburn (Andresen 65), Andersen, Hreidarsson, Euell, Gayle.

Subs Not Used: Heald, Willmott.

Booked: Euell.

Goals: Gayle 64.

Att: 44,107

Ref: N Barry (Scunthorpe).