Speaking to Flashscore at the Legends Charity Game at the Alvalade Stadium in Lisbon, the former England striker reflected on his career and shared his thoughts on the Premier League title race, as well as United’s latest attempt to rebuild.
“It’s good to be playing again,” said Owen, who retired more than a decade ago. “It’s always nice to see old friends and, of course, the charity aspect is very important.”
The 2001 Ballon d’Or winner also spoke about Oleksandr Usyk’s surprise involvement in the event. “I’m looking forward to seeing him,” Owen said. “He’s a sporting icon, the best heavyweight in boxing. I’m sure no one will want to get too close to him.”
On Liverpool’s start to the season, Owen was cautiously optimistic. “They’ve changed a lot since last year. Yes, they’ve won their first four games, but not always convincingly; they needed a stoppage-time winner against Burnley, who’ve just come up. Still, Liverpool are the team to beat. Arsenal look strong, but I think Liverpool will win it again.”
Turning to United, Owen suggested that Amorim, who took charge this summer, should not be judged too quickly. “They haven’t been doing well for a long time,” he said. “When managers like (Jose) Mourinho, (Louis) van Gaal, (Ole Gunnar) Solskjaer and (David) Moyes didn’t succeed, it shows it’s not simply down to who’s in charge. A lot needs to change at United. They’ll have to be patient with Amorim and accept it’s going to be a slow process.”