After scoring 158 goals in just under 300 games for
Liverpool , few could have ever imagined Michael Owen pulling on a
Manchester United shirt. But after one season at
Real Madrid and four with Newcastle United Owen returned to the North West in July 2009, joining United on a free transfer. He signed a two-year deal at Old Trafford , strengthening Sir Alex Ferguson's attacking options. Ferguson described Owen as a "world-class forward with a proven goalscoring record at the highest level", suggesting he had been added to the squad because of his experience and his sixth sense for a goal. Aged 29 at the time of his arrival, the former
England international was a risk-free signing such was the absence of a transfer fee. READ MORE: United have two places up for grabs vs Liverpool READ MORE: United and Liverpool have more in common than you think after Jurgen Klopp's "top solution Despite initially putting pen to paper on a two-year deal, Owen ended up spending three years in M16, though his third consisted of just four appearances. Playing 52 times in total, he chipped in with 17 goals. Of those 17, none of them are remembered more vividly than his 96th-minute winner against
Manchester City in the derby at Old Trafford in September 2009. Latching onto Ryan Giggs' excellent pass, Owen, with two touches of the ball, demonstrated why Ferguson had decided to add him to his ranks. Had Owen had his way, he probably would have preferred to have started Liverpool's goalless draw with Stoke City at Anfield that same afternoon. After he decided to leave Newcastle at the end of the 2008/09 campaign he was desperate to return to Anfield for a second spell on Merseyside. Instead, Liverpool strengthened their attack with the additions of Robbie Keane and David N'Gog. Owen's agent touched base with a collection of clubs domestically and abroad and once informed of United's interest, it was an option the striker couldn't turn down. Speaking to
BBC Radio 5 Live back in 2020, Owen explained: "I was leaving Newcastle and the first thing I did was phone Carra [Jamie Carragher] and said 'speak to Rafa Benitez'. Carra got back to me and said 'no, he's about to sign someone'. I think it was David N'Gog, but he had already had some great players in the team and basically they didn't need another centre-forward. What do you want me to do at that point? "My agent then spoke to virtually every club on the planet to see who was interested and the options were Hull City, Everton and Manchester United. You can imagine my thought process – go to Everton, get hated, go to Man United and get hated as well. Michael Owen (left) faced Liverpool twice in his Manchester United career. (Image: John Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images.) "As soon as I heard United were in for me then I thought, obviously first choice would be Liverpool and to go back there but if Liverpool aren't going to want me and these are all my options then wow, Manchester United in the
Champions League , I don't have to move, I know loads of the lads. It was a brilliant move." Despite still being five months away from turning 30 at the time of his Old Trafford arrival Owen' felt his best days were behind him. He admitted United's interest in him was a shock. "I couldn't believe my luck when United came in for me," he added. "Here's me, regressing as a player in my own mind and still the champions of England wanted to sign me. I was absolutely buzzing when they wanted me." Owen can reflect on his Old Trafford career positively. While it was not exactly blistering, it was solid and respectable. He scored some key goals and won three trophies during his time at the club. At a time where United were still top dogs in England, Owen played his part in giving Ferguson an extra dimension in attack. Had Benitez not said no when Carragher asked him about re-signing one of the club's most famous strikers, there would have been no iconic moment against City for Owen and United's fans to cherish. Any fears he had about being hated at Old Trafford were extinguished as soon as that goal went in.