Michael Owen hits back against Robbie Fowler's 'better striker' claims

Michael Owen has made his own case as Liverpool's superior former front man, following Robbie Fowler's comments that he was 'better' than his old teammate.

Both forwards were exceptional homegrown talents for the Reds in the 90s and early 00s.

Now 44, Owen scored 158 goals in 297 games for Liverpool between 1997 and 2004, while Fowler, 48, bagged 183 in 369 appearances, over two separate spells.

While both players sit inside the top ten for the Reds' all-time top scorers (Fowler is seventh, while Owen is ninth), it is Fowler who has a more favourable legacy among fans at Anfield, with Owen's considerable achievements somewhat tainted by his latter-career move to Manchester United.

Recently, there has been an ongoing debate about who out of the pair was the better striker – with the argument stoked by Fowler on talkSPORT last month.

He said: "I always thought I was better than Michael.

"Even when Michael was coming through and I'm not sitting here and being egotistical or being derogatory towards Michael. Michael was quicker than me, but every other element of being a striker, I genuinely think I was better.

"Now Michael can sit here and he can say exactly the same thing, but that is my opinion and my self confidence

"I was better [than Owen] in every aspect of being a striker."

Now given the chance to respond to his former teammates words on talkSPORT, Owen tried to give a diplomatic answer but couldn't hide his own feelings.

"I'd expect him to say that and you'd expect me to say listen when I played for Liverpool, who did the manager pick? When I played for England, who did the manager pick? I mean, listen, so I don’t have to say it – it was said for me," Owen said.

"Robbie was an exceptional player an exceptional finisher.

"For someone who used to score the amount of goals that he did, his England caps total – if he was in this generation now, he'd have 50, 100 caps. Unfortunately, at the time there was an Alan Shearer, a Michael Owen, a Teddy Sheringham, an Ian Wright, an Andy Cole. The list goes on. Incredible depth back in that generation."

Owen remains the only player to have won the Ballon d'Or while at Liverpool.