PREMIERSHIP REVIEW
Didnt you just know it was going to happen? The so-called Michael Owen crisis of confidence, as predicted by Gerard Houllier, was just a blip and not a long-term worry. Those of little faith should have known better.
Owen bounced back to form with a typical hat-trick which confirmed Manchester City boss Kevin Keegans worst fears and brought a broad smile to the fact of Liverpool coach Houllier who said: "Michael knew he had the 100 per cent support of everyone at the club during his recent lean spell. The physio, masseur and all the coaching staff would have been on the pitch if they could when he scored the first!
"His feet are still quick, mentally he is still quick and his game awareness is superb. He gave us a sign after the first one that everything was okay but we knew that anyway. He hasnt been the happiest man in training on the days after he has missed a few chances but other than that there has been no evidence of the situation affecting him.
"People were hammering him 18 months ago and he finished the year as European Footballer of the Year. At 21, his mental strength then was amazing. It has to be remembered he had an injury when he came back from the World Cup and it always takes a couple of games for him to get back into it.
"Michaels first goal lifted the whole team. It was a great performance because not many teams will come here and win like that."
City boss Keegan said: "If I was coming off a run of nine games without a goal I would have wanted a chance like that. Even at 51 I would have fancied my chances of finishing it. If he had missed it would have been crisis time.
"The other two finishes were superb but we have to develop some nous pretty quickly because this is relegation form at the moment. I may have to spend in January."
SUNDERLAND 1 ASTON VILLA 0
Sunderland boss Peter Reid was cheered up by Frenchman David Bellion who helped ease the pressure on his manager with a vital and winner. Not surprisingly, Reid was a relieved man afterwards, although perhaps not as relieved as the Sunderland fans.
Reid attempted to put the win into context by saying: "The best way I can put it is there were a few knives being sharpened and theyve just gone a bit blunt. But theyll be back.
"Thats part and parcel of being a football manager. I feel all right. I feel a lot better than I did last week. That was a bitter blow, and Im really pleased with the players and the way they responded."
Reid added: "I just hope that after this victory, we can kick on from it now. Weve got the tie at Cambridge and then weve got to go to the Arsenal. It frightened me to death today watching them, so you come down to reality very, very quickly in the Premiership."
Villa boss Graham Taylor was understandably downcast, saying: "We have no goals and no points away from home and that is very disappointing. I thought we worked hard throughout the game and Darius (Vassell) always looked likely to score for us.
"Im very, very disappointed with it because we had our chances to really have cemented our place probably in the top half of the division. Were win one, lose one, win one, lose one. Thats what weve been all season."
TOTTENHAM 0 MIDDLESBROUGH 3
Glenn Hoddle was full of praise for opposite number Steve McClaren before this battle of wits at White Hart Lane, hailing the highly-rated coach as a future England manager.
And McClaren underlined what a top job hes doing up at the Riverside by leading his side to an impressive win which cements Boros place in the top three and raises further question marks about Tottenhams European credentials.
After goals by hot shot Massimo Maccaroni, Geremi and Job had clinched Boros first away victory, McClaren said: "I feel sorry for Spurs because they caught us on a very good day. But I give full credit to the players and the only disappointment I have is that we didnt score more goals.
"In that way it was a bit like our game at Everton a few weeks ago when we missed lots of chances after dominating but the lads have learned from that.
"Weve now set a benchmark and were third in the table, but it is only after eight games. Id be sat here ecstatic if it was the end of the season and we were still third. There is still a long way to go but weve shown the quality of our football a few times already this season and it's been a very satisfactory start."
Spurs boss Hoddle said of his sides latest setback: "We were never at the races. They were first for every ball and won every ball. We lacked confidence or belief in our own ability."
