Houllier: We must cope without Owen

Liverpool manager Gerard Houllier has urged his players to prove they are not a one-man team tonight - on one of the worst pitches he has seen.

Liverpool go into tonight's clash against Romanians Steaua Bucharest missing Michael Owen, who has been left at home for treatment on a damaged ankle to ensure he is fit for Sunday's match against Manchester United.

Houllier said: "In the past people have said we are over-reliant on Michael, but not at the moment. I'd have preferred him to play because he leads by example and has improved his game a lot.

"The team would also prefer if he was in the side but our style of play now allows more players to be involved in the box.

"More players are getting into a position to finish. It would be better with Michael there, particularly away from home, as his European record is phenomenal."

The Frenchman is more worried about the state of the pitch.

He said: "The pitch is not poor, it is extremely poor - in fact, terrible. It is even worse than the one in Ljubljana, and I said that was the worst pitch we had played on."