The Liverpool manager talked of stiffness in Owen's legs, and then mentioned a succession of niggling injuries.

Finally, even though the dreaded word "hamstring" was never mentioned, we got to the nub of the problem.

Houllier said, almost apologetically: "We are working on his physical fitness, mainly for the problem he used to have in the past."

Houllier added: "I still think he will be better in the coming games, but a the moment he is obviously not too well and if he misses chances his confidence is low.

"We are sure of his capabilities and what he can bring to the team - it's just a matter of time.

"We need to physically get him right and then psychologically to keep him on the pitch. The best way is to give him games."

Houllier is all too aware that despite Owen's outward confidence and desire to keep playing, the problem is more worrying than that.

He said: "Professional players sometimes look very confident but they are very insecure in themselves. You sometimes fear about injury or lack of fitness, about not scoring.

"He has been struggling to train normally, and it is not certain that he will be involved in our next match.

"We are working on Michael's problems and trying to get him back to his best level. He needs to get himself right and over a succession of niggling injuries he has got.

"But we have to be careful with him. Lots of niggling injuries are stopping him training."

Houllier added: "It is more a matter of confidence for Michael. He missed chance at Crystal Palace and now it's happened here. He is not totally right and he is getting frustrated.

"On his day he would have scored two in this match and three at Palace. He has come back after the head injury he received at Derby in October lacking confidence."