ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE:RAFAEL BENITEZ has revealed he considered a second attempt to bring Michael Owen back to Liverpool last summer before opting to break the club's transfer record on Fernando Torres
The past and present leading lights of the Liverpool attack meet this afternoon at Anfield, although on current fortunes they have little else in common. While Torres could become the first player in Liverpool history to score three consecutive hat-tricks at home, the 23-year-old's trebles against West Ham and Middlesbrough taking his total for the season to 24, Owen will seek only his seventh goal of an injury-plagued campaign for Newcastle.
Form, fitness and statistics vindicate Benitez' decision to invest €35 million in Torres but, despite a difficult debut season for Owen at St James' Park, the Liverpool manager contemplated signing the England international after last season's European Cup final defeat.
Benitez's attempt to sign the 28-year-old was no secret in 2006 before Freddy Shepherd blew Liverpool out of the bidding with a €21 million bid to Real Madrid, but last summer's surprise interest indicates the regard in which Owen is still held at Anfield.
"We had a list of 10 strikers last summer," revealed Benitez, who admitted it would be "better for everyone" if the club's ownership saga was resolved.
"We decided two or three were the priority and the first option was Torres because he was young and could be a good player and it would also be good business for the club.
"Michael was one of the names we had. When he is fit he is one of the best finishers in the world. Close to the box he is really, really good. But Torres is a player with more pace and power.
"He can run behind the defenders and for me, Michael must be close to the box."
Despite Owen's lack of goals this season, the faith of his Newcastle manager, Kevin Keegan, is undimmed. "I don't think Michael needs any extra incentives to do well - he's my captain and he's been outstanding in training and matches since I came here. Obviously he will be up for it (today) - it's a wonderful experience going back to your former club, even more wonderful when you get something."
Keegan, though, acknowledged his relegation-threatened side - without a win in the seven games since he began his second stint in charge at St James' Park - are returning to the scene of some epic battles between Liverpool and Newcastle during the 1990s in vastly reduced circumstances.
Many fans still hail Liverpool's 4-3 victory over Keegan's team in April 1996 as the Premiership's greatest game but Newcastle's manager admitted: "You cannot compare the state of the two clubs now. We are still capable of winning and will make sure we give them a good game but we are going there in rather different circumstances to the '90s."
Keegan yesterday signed Lamine Diatta, a Senegal defender who, as a free agent, was available outside the transfer window, until the end of the season.
