Owen strikes to set up Celtic showdown

Liverpool 2 Auxerre 0 Liverpool win 3-0 on agg.

A vital four days in Liverpool's modern history began last night with a win over Auxerre to set up a "Battle of Britain" against Celtic in the Uefa Cup quarter-finals. Michael Owen and Danny Murphy struck in the space of seven minutes midway through the second half, the first goal bringing the England striker a record and his team relief after an uneasy opening opening hour.

By scoring for the 20th time in Europe, Owen equalled the club record set by the watching Ian Rush, although he took four matches more to reach the landmark than the Welshman's 38. If his goal owed everything to a well-timed run and composed finish, Murphy's could be attributed largely to a mistake by the inappropriately named Fabien Cool, who fumbled the midfielder's shot.

Gérard Houllier, the Liverpool manager, was no more inclined to lavish praise on Owen than he had been to criticise him during his recent barren spell. "Michael should have the record already, after the opportunities he had against Vitesse Arnhem," he said.

Liverpool deserved their success, if only for sticking to their task after a first half in which Auxerre were marginally the better of two tentative sides. Houllier's side thus booked themselves a tie which, whatever happens in the Worthington Cup final against Manchester United in Cardiff on Sunday, is guaranteed to keep their season alive.

Even the resolutely phlegmatic Owen was excited by the prospect of the double-header with the Scottish champions, who will stage the first leg in Glasgow on 13 March before travelling to Merseyside a week later. "It should be another memorable game," he said. "I played at Celtic when I was first breaking into the team [in 1997] and have never known an atmosphere like it."

Liverpool took that Uefa Cup tie on the away-goals rule, and also beat Celtic to reach the Cup-Winners' Cup final in 1966, when Bill Shankly and Jock Stein were in charge. Like the two Scots, last night's managerial rivals, Houllier and Guy Roux, are old friends, and for long periods before Owen's breakthrough it appeared that the two sides were paying each other too much respect.

Sir Alex Ferguson was present to make a final check on Liverpool. With the match in the Millennium Stadium scheduled to kick off barely 64 hours later, the hosts were thankful for the one-goal cushion provided by Sami Hyypia in France.

Auxerre came close in the 19th minute. A corner by Khalilou Fadiga reached Djibril Cissé at the far post, the striker heading the ball back across Jerzy Dudek's goal. By that point, Murphy's swivel and shot over the bar had been Liverpool's only goal attempt, but then an acrobatic volley by El Hadji Diouf from 22 yards skimmed the bar as it flashed over.

Yann Lachuer was particularly atuned to Cissé's surges, one beautifully weighted ball leading to the French international firing inches wide. As half-time loomed, Dudek made a crucial diving save to keep out Cissé's goalbound volley. In between, Murphy had cleverly used the outside of his right foot to deliver a first-time cross only for Emile Heskey to head wastefully high.

Houllier replaced Djimi Traoré with Vladimir Smicer for the second half, and the Czech's ability to run at defenders enlivened Liverpool, with Owen at last testing Cool. Even so, the chant of "attack, attack, attack" had just gone up, tinged with desperation, when Liverpool doubled their overall lead. After 67 minutes Murphy's flick from a pass by the substitute, Dietmar Hamann, sent Owen scampering through the centre. Taking aim early rather than attempting to round Cool, he claimed his 18th goal of the season.

Murphy, with the hapless assistance of Cool, who fumbled the ball into the net when the midfielder's 30-yard shot had presented a routine catch, added a second. A frustrated Cissé threw his top at the Auxerre bench on being replaced; only the most blinkered Liverpool or Celtic fan would put their shirt on their team to reach the last four with any great confidence.

Liverpool (4-4-2): Dudek; Carragher, Henchoz (Biscan, 77), Hyypia, Traoré (Smicer, h-t); Diouf (Hamann, 62), Gerrard, Murphy, Riise; Owen, Heskey. Substitutes not used: Baros, Diao, Cheyrou, Arphexad (gk).

Auxerre (4-2-3-1): Cool; Radet, Boumsong, Mexes, Jaures; Faye, Tainio; Mathis, Lachuer, Fadiga (Akale, 77); Cissé (Mwarurawi, 77). Substitutes not used: Gonzalez, Grichting, Perrier, Sirieix, Hamel (gk).

Referee: A Lopez Nieto (Spain).