Majestic Owen plays the ace with pace

Liverpool 2 West Ham United

It is not long since Michael Owen was alleged to be going through a crisis. Well, he has made a vibrant recovery, because since those reports were circulated he has been scoring at a rate that is in inverse proportion to Her Majesty's recollection of vital evidence in court cases.

Two more goals yesterday brought his tally to 10 in eight games since his hat-trick against Manchester City first announced that reports of his demise were premature. More importantly, he is propelling Liverpool to a robustly healthy lead at the top of the Premiership. That lead is seven points and, as Arsenal are giving the impression they could not win a one-ticket raffle at the moment, it might survive today's programme.

Yesterday's victory also came on the back of Wednesday's reverse against Valencia which has imperilled their progress in the Champions' League. "It proves we have the ability to bounce back after defeat," Gérard Houllier, the Liverpool manager, said. "The response was brilliant. It is difficult to imagine us getting better than we were at times today."

At the core of Liverpool's best moments was Owen whose goals yesterday fall into the sublime and slightly odd categories. The first was a brilliant dribble that took him past Steve Lomas and Tomas Repka, the second a scorching surge past the West Ham back line and a mis-kick that dawdled to take in the scenery on its way to the net.

"They were two good goals," Houllier insisted, luxuriating in seven successive Premiership wins. "The first goal in particular was a great effort in terms of individual brilliance. I like it when strikers take the initiative in those positions."

Owen held the initiative all afternoon, although West Ham made it easy for him. On a day when teeming rain and gusty winds might have made an upset viable, the visitors surrendered as meekly as their record of no League wins at Anfield since 1963 suggested they would.

In mitigation, with Frédéric Kanouté and Paolo Di Canio missing, West Ham's options up front were limited but a striking combination of Trevor Sinclair and Jermain Defoe was doomed to failure as soon as the visitors neglected to build through midfield. To hit long balls towards such a lightweight attack brought predictable results against Sami Hyypia and Djimi Traore.

Liverpool have been asked by their manager to be more patient in trying to discover the "killer ball" but their overwhelming superiority in terms of possession meant that chances came regularly and, inevitably, Owen was at the end of most of them.

His first chance came after eight minutes when Danny Murphy's pass gave him space alongside Repka. Owen dummied to go left and then tried to use the defender to cloak his intentions from David James in the West Ham goal, curling his shot round him and just wide.

Eight minutes later Owen was denied by James' quick reactions after Smicer had been the provider so it hardly had eyebrows shooting skywards when it was the England striker who put Liverpool in front after 27 minutes. The only surprise was that it was his most difficult opportunity that proved profitable.

Owen had what appeared to be a secure wall in front of him when Murphy's pass found him 20 yards out but a dribble removed several bricks and a quick dart that left Repka flat on the floor opened a chasm. The only hope for West Ham now was that the speed of movement had giddied Owen, but some hope; he clinically lifted the ball past James.

The goal had the effect of injecting some attacking intent into the Hammers and Lomas had a header that caused momentary concern in the Kop before Jamie Carragher brought a highly satisfactory half for the home side to a close with a side-footed shot that scraped a post after some deft approach play by Owen and Murphy.

West Ham had all the threat of a sponge in the first half but they could have equalised three minutes after the break and, if Steve Lomas' reaction is an indication, they should have. Joe Cole crossed from the right and, with the muscular Ian Pearce deflecting attention, Lomas found himself three yards out with only Jerzy Dudek to beat. His first attempt was blocked, and when the 'keeper grabbed the second the West Ham midfielder was so angry he karate-kicked a post.

That miss was made to look more frustrating because Owen made it 2-0 after 54 minutes. In most ways it was a typical Liverpool goal: Hyypia tidied up on the edge of the area, Smicer passed forward and Owen's pace took him past the last defender and round James. The oddity was Owen's shot, which was so badly mis-hit that it was going wide of the empty net. So poor was the connection, however, that either the spin or a gust of wind dragged the bobbling ball back on target and it rolled slowly for 25 yards and across the line before any West Ham players could race back to clear it.

The game was as settled as the weather was stormy and the main question was whether Owen would complete a hat-trick. He did not thanks to James who made a save low to his left after 57 minutes and regathered the ball with the striker about to pounce after a Steven Gerrard shot.

"It was David who stopped Michael going home with the ball today," Houllier said before adding ominously: "Michael is going to have a tremendous year."

Liverpool 2 West Ham United 0
Owen 28, 55

Half-time: 1-0 Attendance: 44,048