Sport 13-08-2001 Charity Shield: Fowler `Bombed Out` who: Liverpool what: Beat Manchester United 2-1 in Charity Shield where: CARDIFF when: Yesterday snippet: "Michael Owen served notice that Sir Alex Ferguson will not necessarily have his last season at Old Trafford all his own way," remarks The Independent`s Mark Bradley after Liverpool won yesterday`s Charity Shield game against Manchester United 2-1 at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff. But the critics are tentative about drawing any conclusions from the win. Indeed, The Guardian`s David Lacey almost seems to suggest that it was all down to tempting fate. "United were bound to lose," he says, "once David Beckham had declared that it would be nice, in Sir Alex Ferguson`s last managerial season, if they could win every match." "United grew significantly in strength as the match went on," writes Bradley, "with £19million signing Ruud van Nistelrooy displaying his finishing ability to pull a goal back, and they were desperately unlucky not at least to force a penalty shoot-out." And the sting of victory is all the weaker this morning after comments by Liverpool star Robbie Fowler that he was "bombed out" by his manager, Gerard Houllier. "It is not the first time Fowler has been on the wrong end of the Frenchman`s ruthless streak," notes The Sun`s Mike Ellis. "Fowler began both the FA Cup final and the UEFA Cup final sitting on the bench, after captaining the side to their Worthington Cup triumph in February." [... more]

What The Papers Say is delivered to thousands of readers every morning by web, WAP and email. Sign up today!