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Clinton Morrison once gave Liverpool their team-talk with his comments after scoring for Crystal Palace.

The Eagles legend made the remarks after the first leg of their League Cup semi-final in January 2001.

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Morrison angered the Liverpool squad after Palace's surprise first leg victory in 2001Credit: AFP

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The Eagles striker scored in a 2-1 win at Selhurst Park but soon regretted his reactionCredit: Getty

Morrison was on the scoresheet in a 2-1 victory at Selhurst Park.

After the match, he was asked about opposite number Michael Owen's performance amid a poor run of form in front of goal.

The then 21-year-old appeared to give the Ballon d'Or winner a few finishing tips as his comments made their way back to the Reds squad.

Just two weeks later he was left regretting his answer as Liverpool provided the perfect response.

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Recalling the incident in 2020, Morrison told talkSPORT: "I’ve never told anyone the full story, so here it goes…

"We’re playing the game and I’m in form, I’d just scored my 11th goal in 11 games and on my way home all the journalists came up to me, so I did an interview after the game.

"I learned from this massively now, but they asked me a question: ‘With the form you’re in at the moment, do you think you would have put away the chances Michael Owen had on the night?’

"And, the confident person I was, I said: ‘Yeah, most definitely, I would have put the chances away, easily!’

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"But the story got so twisted in the press, that me – Clinton Morrison – was giving tips to Michael Owen, the great striker he was, on how to score goals – I don’t think so!

"I don’t think I would have ever said that, but obviously I’m kind of famous for having a dig at Michael Owen.

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Owen's failure to score prompted Morrison to appear to give him tips in front of goalCredit: Getty

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Liverpool responded by winning the second leg 5-0 as Morrison was mocked by his rivalsCredit: Getty

"I remember a few days later going into the training and the lads were saying to me: ‘You’ve got such a big mouth!’ I was like: ‘What do you mean?

I just won us a game against Liverpool, you should be thanking me!’

"But they showed me the paper and the headline was something like ‘Clinton gives Michael Owen advice on how to score goals’.

"I had to laugh.

It was ridiculous.

"To be fair when I was that age, I probably was saying stuff I shouldn’t have said, but what the hell was I doing trying to give Michael Owen goalscoring tips?"

Liverpool went on to win the second leg 5-0 at Anfield to book their place in the final, where they would beat Birmingham on penalties.

During the match, Gary McAllister took the opportunity to deliver a brutal put-down to Morrison.

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He added: "The story gets better too, because we go to the second leg and Liverpool battered us.

"I knew straight away that I probably gave their team-talk by doing the interview.

I remember Steven Gerrard giving me stick, which is fair enough.

"Liverpool fans were battering me, too, and I got a chance right in front of the Kop and I’m thinking: ‘Please Clinton, you’ve been getting it all night…’

"The ball has dropped six yards out and I’ve done a complete air-kick, I’ve totally missed the ball.

"And as I was walking back slowly, Gary McAllister taps me on the shoulder and says: ‘Don’t worry about it mate, Michael Owen would have scored that!’

"I just wanted the ground to swallow me up, I told the gaffer I wanted to come off!

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Liverpool could now swoop for current Palace striker Jean-Philippe MatetaCredit: Getty

"I did come out and apologise and I’ve seen Michael Owen many times on holidays in Portugal and I’ve always gone up to him and apologised to him face to face – that’s all I can do.

"At that time I thought I was invincible, but I was wrong."

Another Palace striker could now be set for a more positive Anfield welcome, though.

According to French outlet Foot Mercato, the Reds are interested in signing Jean-Philippe Mateta this summer.

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The 28-year-old and his agent are said to have held talks with the club in Paris over a potential move.

Mateta scored 14 goals in 37 Premier League appearances last season and has two years left on his deal after signing an extension in December.


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