Hypia v Owen : Rafa v Keegan

Liverpool defender Sami Hypia and former reds striker Michael Owen will go head to head tomorrow at Anfield. It will be Owen's second return to his former ground since joining Newcastle, the first was in 2005 and he was jeered by the Kop. There is nothing to suggest that tomorrow will be any different.

Hypia said ahead of the clash:

"Of course we will have to keep an eye on Michael, but they also have many more players who can score goals and cause us problems so it is not only Michael who we will need to watch.

But if we deliver a good team performance like we did against West Ham I don't think we need to worry about any striker who comes up against us.

Michael is a great goalscorer, though, and we need to be very careful with him around.

He was exactly the same in training as he was in games. He was very quick, he could turn really well and he was a very good goalscorer. 

I  don't know if it is an advantage for us that we know him because he knows us also, but we will see.

Michael was a very good servant to Liverpool and he scored many goals for us while he was here.

The FA Cup Final [against Arsenal in 2001] is probably the thing he will be remembered for most because the two goals he scored that day won us the cup. But he also scored goals in many other big games and he was part of some special times for this club."

Owen left Liverpool in 2004 to join Real Madrid, but returned just a year later, signing for Newcastle. At the time there was much speculation that the England star would return to his boyhood team, but the management at Liverpool appeared to have a very different idea.

Owen who is looking forward to tomorrow said:

"It will be a proud moment at Liverpool.

I've only played Liverpool once since I came here. It'll be good and we often speak about it in the dressing room.

Nicky Butt going back to Manchester United is similar, and it's either the best experience or the worst. It really is awful when you get beat and we lost 2-0 at Anfield last time.

If you get a result at your old club it's always nice. Then you can meet old friends and go knowing you gave them a really good game and got something out of it.

You don't want to be putting your head down and sliding out a side door to get back on the coach and get up the road."

Even the managers have made their views clear on the subject this week.

Newcastle manager Kevin Keegan has praised his striker:

"I don't think Michael needs an incentive.

He has been outstanding in training and in matches since I came here.

His workrate has been terrific.

When we weren't creating anything he was scoring goals, and against Blackburn, when we did create, he came into the dressing room and apologised.

He will be up for it. I know what it's like going to play there.

"It's a wonderful experience going back to a former club, made even more wonderful when you get something."

Whilst Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez believes that AFTER tomorrows game Newcastle will start winning again:

"I think they have enough quality in their squad, and also the manager has a lot of experience. It's a surprise where they are because they have very good players, so hopefully after this game they will start winning," Benitez said on the club's official website.

"I think that, because they were in a bad position, and then they couldn't win the first games, they have been a little bit under pressure. When you are under pressure you cannot play at your level. But they have enough quality and experience in the squad, so I think after this game they will start winning.

We know Michael is a very good player and a great finisher. We'll have to take care of him tomorrow and if he is calm against us then maybe he can go and score 20 goals.