Former Newcastle mercenary Michael Owen has stated the absolute obvious after suggesting the Magpies must ‘stop’ Mohamed Salah if they are to achieve a positive result against Liverpool this weekend.
Owen spent four disappointing years at St James’ Park following a club record £16 million move from Real Madrid in 2005 and was part of the side relegated to the Championship four years later – this being the nadir of a career that saw him score 158 goals in 297 games across eight seasons with Liverpool.
The 38-year-old retired in 2013 following a short spell with Stoke and has since made a living out of his stunningly inane soundbites in a punditry role for various broadcasters and betting firms – and this week he noted down his thoughts on the clash between two of his former clubs at Anfield on Saturday in a blog for Bet Victor.
True to form, Owen made the most transparent of postulations regarding Newcastle’s chances of taking some points back to Tyneside, writing that Rafa Benitez and his United players must find some way of curtailing Liverpool’s most dangerous attacking player who has registered 31 goals in 37 appearances in all competitions.
“Mo Salah has scored in his last six games for the Reds in all competitions and United need to stop the Egyptian if they are to get a positive result against this exciting Liverpool side,” Owen wrote.
Enlightening stuff, Michael. Truly enlightening
