Steven Gerrard has reluctantly picked a side in the long-running debate over which Liverpool striker was superior: Robbie Fowler or Michael Owen. The argument has raged for years, with both players themselves weighing in on the topic.
Fowler and Owen's own claims
Fowler once told Simon Jordan's Up Front show that he was the better player, saying: "He was quicker than me, but in every other element of being a striker, I genuinely think I was better than him. He could say the exact opposite but that is just my opinion and my self-confidence. I was better in every aspect of being a striker. Michael wasn't the best player at Liverpool when I played, but I remember him coming through at the club and you could see that he was different class."
Owen disagreed, pointing to his achievements with Liverpool and England. He said: "I would expect him to say that. Listen, when I played for Liverpool, who did the manager pick? When I played for England, who did the manager pick? I mean, I don’t have to say it – it was said for me."
Gerrard's verdict
Gerrard idolised Fowler in his youth, watching him from The Kop before becoming a team-mate. However, he played with Owen for longer and edges towards the former Real Madrid and Newcastle man. Gerrard told Open Goal: "[They're] very different. I would say Fowler was a better natural finisher. But in terms of sort of like fear, in terms of pace, movement… [Owen was superior]. I had a real top connection with Michael Owen; it was like we were just on a wavelength together. Both had a period [when they were exceptional]. Up until Michael did his hamstring, he was world-class and up there with the best strikers in the world."
Gerrard, who made his Reds debut in 1998, added: "I didn't play with Robbie when he was getting 30 goals a season. I came a bit later when he'd had his injuries and he wasn't the player he was when he was 18 to 23. I used to pay and watch him on The Kop and Robbie Fowler and Jamie Redknapp were my two heroes. Steve McManaman as well. I had the shirts with their names on, then you're sitting with them [in the dressing room] and they sort of become your mates."
While no one is better placed than Gerrard to assess the merits of both players, the debate is sure to run and run.
