MX23RW : Friday, February 7 05:14:14| >> :120:7683:7683:
[monks data]
Attendance: 63,272
Spurs logo
Champions League | Final
Jun 1, 2019 at 8pm UK
 
Liverpool logo

0-2

FT(HT: 0-1)
Salah (2' pen.), Origi (87')

Michael Owen: 'Pressure is on Liverpool for Champions League final'

Michael Owen: 'Pressure is on Liverpool for Champions League final'
© Reuters
The former Liverpool star believes the Reds must win the Champions League final to cap their season.

Former Liverpool star Michael Owen believes "all the pressure" will be on the Reds when they face Spurs in Saturday's all-Premier League Champions League Final in Madrid.

Jurgen Klopp's men beat Mauricio Pochettino's side home and away in the league this season and finished 26 points ahead of them in the table, just one point behind the champions Manchester City.

Klopp will also be trying to avoid losing a seventh straight final, after losing his last three with Borussia Dortmund and first three with Liverpool, who are the bookmakers' favourite to claim a sixth Champions League/European Cup win.

Michael Owen in action for Liverpool against Spurs
Michael Owen, in action in  2001, when Liverpool won four cup finals and he claimed the Ballon d'Or (Rui Vieira/PA)

For Owen, this makes it Liverpool's match to lose.

Speaking to Press Association Sport, the BetVictor brand ambassador said: "All the pressure is on Liverpool because they know they need to win a trophy after the season they've had.

"You don't get a team together like that often and you have to make hay while the sun is shining. If they don't win on Saturday it will be like a dagger through the heart of every Liverpool player and fan.

"Spurs are under far less pressure and have surpassed expectations already by reaching this final.

Fabian Delph and Harry Kane
Harry Kane limped off after this clash with Manchester City's Fabian Delph seven weeks ago but is now fit and eager to play. (PA Wire)

"If they lose, I still think they'll be able to look at themselves and say they've had a brilliant season. I'm not sure Liverpool would if they lose."

One of the keys to the match will be England captain Harry Kane's fitness after his ankle injury seven weeks ago. The Spurs talisman missed the end of the season but has declared himself fit and Owen expects him to start.

"If Kane is fit, he has to start – it's that simple," said Owen, who scored 158 goals for Liverpool in eight seasons at Anfield before stints at Real Madrid, Newcastle, Manchester United and Stoke.

"Lucas Moura scored a hat-trick in the semi-final but he's been Spurs' main man a couple of times, Kane has done it a hundred times.

Roberto Firmino, Mo Salah and Sadio Mane
Roberto Firmino, left, Mo Salah, centre, and Sadio Mane warm up before last year's Champions League Final that ended in defeat to  Real Madrid but the experience could be vital on Saturday (Mike Egerton/PA)

"That doesn't mean there isn't a risk attached to him playing.

"I remember breaking my foot for Newcastle and working hard to be fit for the World Cup in 2006 only to snap my cruciate in the first minute, and we've seen Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain come back from his knee injury only to do his hamstring in his first game back.

"But it's the Champions League Final. Of course Kane has to play."

Owen, 39, will be on pundit duty for BT Sport on Saturday and he believes there are four crucial battles that will decide the contest.

"Spurs have to come up with a plan to deal with Andy Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold," he said.

"Liverpool's full-backs have provided so many assists this season by crossing the ball early and with pace. They have been superb."

The second major contest will be between Kane and Virgil van Dijk.

"I would expect the Liverpool defender to get the better of it but Kane could lose that contest for 89 minutes and still be the hero," said Owen.

The same, however, can be said at the other end of the field.

"Liverpool's midfield is pretty functional – they are good but they are not going to give a defence sleepless nights," he explained.

"Liverpool's front three, on the other hand, are terrifying. Who Spurs play at the back, and in what formation, will be very interesting, but I can't see them keeping Salah, Mane and Firmino out."

Son Heung-min celebrates scoring against Dortmund
Son Heung-min has scored 20 goals in 47 games this season, including the opener against Dortmund in the last 16. (John Walton/PA)

But Spurs are far from being a one-man team and Owen believes they have their own terrifying weapon.

"Kane is very effective because he does everything well," he said.

"He gets eight or nine out of 10 for every part of his game but there is nothing you would point to – pace, a trick, his shot – that you would say is outstanding.

"That is why I think Son Heung-min could be Spurs' best hope because he does have that X factor. He is not as consistent as Kane but he is a tremendous player who does frighten defenders."

– Michael Owen is an ambassador for www.betvictor.com and Saturday's game kicks off at 8pm

ga('create', 'UA-72310761-1', 'auto', {'name': 'pacontentapi'});
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'referrer', location.origin);
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension1', 'By Matt Slater, Press Association chief sports reporter');
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension2', '70b66f70-6202-4a3b-b8bd-13965a89a703');
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension3', 'paservice:sport,paservice:sport:football,paservice:sport:uk,paservice:sport:world');
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension6', 'story');
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension7', 'composite');
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension8', null);
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension9', 'sport:football');
ga('pacontentapi.send', 'pageview', { 'location': location.href, 'page': (location.pathname + location.search + location.hash), 'title': 'Defeat to Spurs will be \u2018a dagger through the heart\u2019 for Liverpool \u2013 Owen'});

ID:360699: cacheID:360699:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:12328:
Written by
P A
No Data Analysis info
Restore Data
Share this article now:
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola speaks to Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp during their Premier League clash at Anfield on October 7, 2018
Read Next:
Pep Guardiola, Jurgen Klopp share Manager of the Season award
>
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
Tables header RHS

League Phase

TeamPWDLPTS
QLiverpool870121
QInter Milan861119
QBarcelona861119
QArsenal861119
QAtletico860218
QB. Leverkusen851216
QAston Villa851216
QLille851216
9Real Madrid850315
10AC Milan850315
11Atalanta843115
12Dortmund850315
13Bayern850315
14PSV842214
15Benfica841313
16Feyenoord841313
17PSG841313
18Monaco841313
19Brest841313
20Juventus833212
21Celtic833212
22Man City832311
23Sporting Lisbon832311
24Brugge832311
25Dinamo Zagreb832311
26Stuttgart831410
27Shakhtar82157
28Bologna81346
29Red Star82066
30Sturm Graz82066
31Sparta Prague81164
32RB Leipzig81073
33Girona81073
34Salzburg81073
35Slovan Bratislava80080
36Young Boys80080


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!