Owen lifts gloom

It was asking a lot of Watford's new record signing to snatch the headlines away from that hamstring and that ankle. In the circumstances Heidar Helguson did rather well and at one stage he ignited hopes of an unlikely victory, though that deservedly went to Liverpool along with some welcome relief from injury gloom.

Michael Owen and Robbie Fowler are an alliance of championship-winning potency but, according to Gerard Houllier, the pair have played together for only 60 minutes in the past 10 months. When Fowler learned on Thursday that he must undergo another ankle operation it might have seemed that the Liverpool manager was risking a second savage twist by announcing Owen's return so soon.

Yet a week that had begun with Liverpool's surprise exit from the FA Cup ended sweetly as Owen helped lift his team into fourth place. His withdrawal 16 minutes from time was purely precautionary and Kevin Keegan can pencil him in for next month's friendly with Argentina.

Fowler, booked in for more surgery tomorrow, will be out of action for at least eight weeks, leaving Houllier to muse on where Liverpool might be had Owen and Fowler had a problem-free year.

On Saturday Houllier was grateful to his midfield players, who scored all three goals and prevented a victory turning into a draw. Owen's work was equally vital. He set up Patrik Berger for the first through an accurate pass across a crowded area, the third for Vladimir Smicer - on target for the first time since moving to Anfield - and also rapped a shot against the bar himself.

Having gone two goals up when David Thompson touched home Dietmar Hamann's freekick, Liverpool should never have needed a third. But they switched off before the interval and granted Watford a lifeline through Richard Johnson. Then, within 30 seconds of the restart, Sander Westerveld ventured too far and invited Helguson to dispatch a scoring header on his debut.

The Icelander's impressive performance gives Graham Taylor several forward options when everyone is available.

And with defenders who lack concentration at key moments it is no wonder Watford are heading back to the First Division.

Watford: Chamberlain, Gibbs, Palmer, Page, Robinson, Lyttle (Smith 82), Miller, Johnson (Bonnot 88), Perpetuini, Helguson (Ngonge 80), Gravelaine. Subs Not Used: Day, Gudmundsson. Booked: Johnson. Goals: Johnson 44, Helguson 46.

Liverpool: Westerveld, Carragher, Henchoz, Hyypia, Matteo, Thompson, Gerrard, Hamann (Smicer 62), Berger, Owen (Murphy 72), Camara (Staunton 84). Subs Not Used: Nielsen, Traore. Booked: Hyypia, Hamann, Henchoz, Matteo. Goals: Berger 10, Thompson 41, Smicer 71.

Referee: S Lodge (Barnsley).