For any club after a proven goalscorer, slightly shop-soiled, runs reliably if well-looked after, St James' Park today is the perfect place to pick up a bargain.
With just hours left until the chaos of football's January transfer bazaar, Michael Owen could not have hoped for a better pitch from which to hawk his wares.
On television, he has a captive market to prove why England should remember its forgotten man. No doubt the eagle-eyed scouts and battle-hardened hagglers of a host of Premier League clubs will be in attendance, too.
Manchester City are ready with a £6 million bid. Chelsea, Tottenham and Arsenal are all in need of added firepower. But the one man Owen would dearly love to entice will likely greet any evidence of his undimmed predatory instincts with fury – visiting Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez.
It was Benitez who was forced, against his will, to kowtow to Owen's demand to move to Real Madrid when he first arrived in the summer of 2004. It was Benitez who refused to stump up the £16 million Newcastle offered when, his Spanish adventure failed, Owen returned to England, desperate to join the then-European champions.
Now it is Benitez who offers Owen hope for the future. He has just six months left on his contract at St James's Park. Newcastle will cash in should they receive an offer tempting enough, rather than lose him for nothing but a host of what-ifs in June.
It is thought Owen's representatives will use Liverpool's visit to St James's to try to engineer a meeting with both Benitez and Rick Parry, who controls the comings and goings at Anfield, although already there are those within the Liverpool camp who need no persuading as to Owen's merits.
"Michael Owen is still a terrific goalscorer and he will be a terrible threat to us," said assistant coach Sammy Lee. "He's someone we'll have to keep our eyes on when we play them. We know exactly what qualities Michael Owen has got."
Those qualities may not be enough to ensure the return of the prodigal. Owen's refusal to sign an extension have been interpreted as a stalling tactic to smoke out interest from clubs with better prospects.
The quality of Liverpool's prospects is not in question. The Reds were top of the tree at Christmas for the first time since 1996, arguably the last time they looked anything like title challengers.
But Steven Gerrard, Owen's close friend and no doubt a powerful ally should he want to bend Benitez's ear, knows the hard work is just beginning.
He said: "We know that, at the halfway stage, the hard work is still to come.
"A lot has been said about this Liverpool side in the past, about how we perform against the top sides in the league. Well after three games, and two of those were away from home, we are unbeaten against Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal.
"That should have silenced some of our critics, but we know we have to do it again in the second half of the season. And we know we have to improve against the other teams in the division as well."
The Liverpool line, in the absence of Fernando Torres, will be led by Robbie Keane, finally starting to find his feet, and his shooting boots, after a difficult start to his time at the club he supported as a boy.
He said: "I enjoyed the position I played against Bolton, up front on my own. That's my best position and where I have played for the last 10 years, I enjoy it. But wherever the boss wants me to play, I will do it for the team, that's the most important thing."
Such positivity contrasts starkly with the black mood which has shrouded Newcastle for much of the season.
After a fillip in form which saw Joe Kinnear lead his side to six games unbeaten, defeat at Wigan and an ever-growing injury list have presented the much-maligned caretaker with a headache ahead of today's clash.
He said: "We've got about eight injured, so it's not looking good. We've got to get back on track even though a million and one things went against us in the Wigan game.
"We've been on a great run and we'll pick ourselves up. There's no doubt that whatever team I put out we'll give it our best shot."
With just hours left until the chaos of football's January transfer bazaar, Michael Owen could not have hoped for a better pitch from which to hawk his wares.
On television, he has a captive market to prove why England should remember its forgotten man. No doubt the eagle-eyed scouts and battle-hardened hagglers of a host of Premier League clubs will be in attendance, too.
Manchester City are ready with a £6 million bid. Chelsea, Tottenham and Arsenal are all in need of added firepower. But the one man Owen would dearly love to entice will likely greet any evidence of his undimmed predatory instincts with fury – visiting Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez.
It was Benitez who was forced, against his will, to kowtow to Owen's demand to move to Real Madrid when he first arrived in the summer of 2004. It was Benitez who refused to stump up the £16 million Newcastle offered when, his Spanish adventure failed, Owen returned to England, desperate to join the then-European champions.
Now it is Benitez who offers Owen hope for the future. He has just six months left on his contract at St James's Park. Newcastle will cash in should they receive an offer tempting enough, rather than lose him for nothing but a host of what-ifs in June.
It is thought Owen's representatives will use Liverpool's visit to St James's to try to engineer a meeting with both Benitez and Rick Parry, who controls the comings and goings at Anfield, although already there are those within the Liverpool camp who need no persuading as to Owen's merits.
"Michael Owen is still a terrific goalscorer and he will be a terrible threat to us," said assistant coach Sammy Lee. "He's someone we'll have to keep our eyes on when we play them. We know exactly what qualities Michael Owen has got."
Those qualities may not be enough to ensure the return of the prodigal. Owen's refusal to sign an extension have been interpreted as a stalling tactic to smoke out interest from clubs with better prospects.
The quality of Liverpool's prospects is not in question. The Reds were top of the tree at Christmas for the first time since 1996, arguably the last time they looked anything like title challengers.
But Steven Gerrard, Owen's close friend and no doubt a powerful ally should he want to bend Benitez's ear, knows the hard work is just beginning.
He said: "We know that, at the halfway stage, the hard work is still to come.
"A lot has been said about this Liverpool side in the past, about how we perform against the top sides in the league. Well after three games, and two of those were away from home, we are unbeaten against Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal.
"That should have silenced some of our critics, but we know we have to do it again in the second half of the season. And we know we have to improve against the other teams in the division as well."
The Liverpool line, in the absence of Fernando Torres, will be led by Robbie Keane, finally starting to find his feet, and his shooting boots, after a difficult start to his time at the club he supported as a boy.
He said: "I enjoyed the position I played against Bolton, up front on my own. That's my best position and where I have played for the last 10 years, I enjoy it. But wherever the boss wants me to play, I will do it for the team, that's the most important thing."
Such positivity contrasts starkly with the black mood which has shrouded Newcastle for much of the season.
After a fillip in form which saw Joe Kinnear lead his side to six games unbeaten, defeat at Wigan and an ever-growing injury list have presented the much-maligned caretaker with a headache ahead of today's clash.
He said: "We've got about eight injured, so it's not looking good. We've got to get back on track even though a million and one things went against us in the Wigan game.
"We've been on a great run and we'll pick ourselves up. There's no doubt that whatever team I put out we'll give it our best shot."
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