Houllier insists all is fair for Fowler

With the possible exception of Robbie Fowler, the red half of Liverpool yesterday celebrated the arrival of Emile Heskey, the most expensive player in the Anfield club's history. Just 12 days after helping Leicester City to success in the League Cup final, the timid youngster with the physique of a heavyweight boxer made his inevitable departure from Filbert Street in an £11 million deal.

Today he is likely to line up for his new club for the first time at home to Sunderland, who were forewarned about their formidable opponent when Leicester manager Martin O'Neill rang up Peter Reid, whose Sunderland side were taken apart by Heskey in a 5-2 defeat at Leicester last Sunday.

But as the 22-year-old England international completed his transfer, the talk on Merseyside was not of Heskey's potential, but of the ramifications of his arrival at a club with a roster of high-class strikers.

With Heskey citing the prospect of playing alongside his long-time friend Michael Owen as one of the reasons behind his decision to join Liverpool, question marks were being placed alongside the enigmatic Fowler, the undeniable truth being that three into two won't go. "Owen and Fowler is probably the best strike partnership in Europe, but I suppose by coming here I have to try and break it up," said Heskey.

Because of a recurring ankle injury, Fowler has had a peripheral role this season. Gerard Houllier insists, however, that Fowler, Owen and his other two front-line forwards, Titi Camara and Erik Meijer, will definitely be staying put, the inference being he will, in future, seek to pursue the sort of squad rotation system so beloved of Manchester United and Chelsea.

However, having been a regular fixture in the Liverpool senior side for many years, it does remain to be seen how Fowler would take to the prospect of becoming a £15 million-rated understudy.

"When people ask why we now have five strikers, they should also inquire why it is Manchester United, Leeds United and Arsenal also have five strikers; we have five because I honestly believe we need five," said Houllier, who has now spent in excess of £40 million since assuming sole responsibility for Liverpool's fortunes just over 12 months ago.

As Heskey settled in at Anfield, gloom settled over Filbert Street. "We did everything we could to try and persuade him to stay," said O'Neill. O'Neill will at least be handed perhaps £5 million of the Heskey fee to purchase a replacement, possibly West Ham United's Paulo Wanchope.