by Carlingnet
Leeds defender Lucas Radebe helped to avert a potential crisis at Liverpool by scoring the
goal which gave manager Gerard Houllier's side a much-needed shot in the arm.
Liverpool headed into the game on the back of successive FA Carling Premiership defeats
against Watford and Middlesbrough and without a goal since the win at Sheffield
Wednesday on the opening day of the season.
But lady luck was in Houllier's corner at Elland Road tonight as Radebe played an
inadvertent part in both Liverpool goals, with the eventual winner coming off the South
African's toe.
Ahead of the game manager David O'Leary's side did have the chance of moving into
second place in the Premiership, but a rare off-key performance scuppered those hopes.
The need for a new striker is seemingly becoming paramount, with the £12million from
Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink's transfer to Atletico Madrid sitting in the bank waiting to be spent.
O'Leary has already admitted that bringing in the new face may not happen this season,
although goalkeeper Nigel Martyn has called for patience as Leeds build for the future.
Liverpool are in a similar situation, looking desperately short up front themselves, but they
have their own multi-million pound talent now admitting he is ready to return.
Michael Owen sustained a hamstring injury in a goalless draw at Leeds in mid-April which
has kept him on the sidelines to this day.
But the 19-year-old confirmed before the game that he is now fit and ready to return to the
Liverpool cause.
With England's final European Championship qualifiers - at Wembley against Luxembourg
and in Warsaw with Poland - just around the corner, the news will undoubtedly come as a
blessed relief to national manager Kevin Keegan.
But how he must have wished Owen was out on the pitch, getting a much-needed match
under his belt, which he admitted yesterday was paramount if the teenager is to be named
in his squad this Thursday for the games on September 4 and 8.
How Houllier must also have wished for exactly the same thing as he watched his side play
their way up to the Leeds penalty area with craft and guile, particularly during the first half.
Their approach play would have suited the runs of the livewire Owen, who thrives on getting
behind the defence and causing mayhem.
But when it came to any kind of penetration into the box, this Liverpool side were found
wanting - despite the win - particularly with Robbie Fowler left isolated on his own up front.
The invention came from Czech international Patrik Berger and one of Houllier's summer
signings in African Titi Camara as Leeds looked out of sorts despite the fillip of taking a
fortuitous lead themselves.
United had barely threatened Sander Westerveld's goal when Ian Harte swung in a corner
from the right which the arriving Michael Bridges at the near post missed with a free header.
As Darren Huckerby moved in to stab home the ball dropped onto the left leg of an unaware
Rigobert Song before trundling across the line from three yards out.
Liverpool could have been in front prior to that as Leeds were unable to find any rhythm,
allowing Berger and Camara to make the runs and take them on.
In the 12th minute Camara skipped past the challenges of Lee Bowyer and Jonathon
Woodgate with ease before a left-wing cross was driven goalwards by the head of David
Thompson but straight at Martyn.
The England international was then beaten within a minute but he was indebted to a
remarkable clearance off the line by Bowyer.
Berger was the instigator on this occasion, picking out skipper Jamie Redknapp whose
piledriving right-foot shot left Martyn in no-man's land.
A flying Bowyer, however, was on hand to head away, his momentum and the power of
Redknapp's shot seeing him become entangled in the netting.
Then came the break United needed - but even then they failed to move out of first gear,
although such was Liverpool's inability to make any inroads it seemed as if O'Leary's side
would head into the break with the advantage.
But the stroke of luck Houllier needed came 30 seconds into injury time as Camara again
strode forward, laying off to Berger only for Radebe to make what appeared to be a clearing
tackle.
The ball, though, went straight back to Camara who curled in a scintillating first-time shot
from just outside the area which beat Martyn off the underside of the crossbar.
It ended a near four-hour goal drought for the Reds, with Camara the last player to find the
net in that opening-day 2-1 victory at Hillsborough.
Their good fortune then took a decisive twist in the 55th minute as an on-form Berger
whipped in a cross from the left wing which Radebe and Fowler both latched on to.
The Leeds skipper appeared to be the man to get the vital touch, steering the ball past a
flat-footed Martyn.
It means the own goal count in the Premiership this campaign has now risen to 10
compared to the 25 throughout the entirety of last season.
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