Owen comes on stage and comes of age

He's 21 today, Michael Owen. Much to the relief of colleagues and his manager Gerard Houllier, not forgetting a half-empty stadium that would have blown out any number of candles, such was the scale of its release, the boy come man started his celebrations last night.

Introduced in the 72nd minute for a head-shaking Robbie Fowler, Owen scored the goal that had never looked like coming for an again anxious Liverpool. That it was in the 15th minute of extra-time when Owen struck a rising shot from six yards, after his goalward header was stopped, that said most about Liverpool's blunt attack and Fulham's smooth defence.

The first division leaders, beaten once in their previous 26 matches this season, made Liverpool feel every single minute of a night that got longer and longer for the home club. Ultimately it was the Londoners who tired after Owen's opener, allowing Vladimir Smicer and Nicky Barmby to add undeserved second and third goals in the second period of extra time, but Jean Tigana's well-organised and keen side showed why they are regarded as a Premiership club in waiting.

Indeed it was Fulham who appeared as the home side, their neat, patient passing the most interesting feature of a bright opening, but when Crystal Palace and Sunderland meet next week it will be for a semi-final with Liverpool. Thus Houllier has edged nearer to his first piece of silverware at Anfield and the club's first since they won this competition in 1995.

Edged is the word, though Houllier will hope this represents the stepping across a line of bad form into less troublesome territory.

The weather, combined with Tuesday's call-offs and Liverpool's recent indifferent run left swathes of red seats around Anfield, even the Kop was only three-quarters full. There were just 20,144 paying customers but it was the missing who missed out on a tight game. Overawed Fulham were not.

With their defence sound and calm, Lee Clark, Sean Davis and Fabrice Fernandes linking well in midfield, Fulham's plan was to find Louis Saha and Barry Hayles on the break.

Initially, it has to be said, Liverpool dealt with this fairly comfortably, although Sander Westerveld had to make a save from Steve Finnan in the 10th minute and shortly after that the Dutch keeper scrambled off his line to clear a casual and short Sami Hyppia back pass.

Taylor had no such scampering moments until just before the interval when Heskey surged onto a deflected pass. Taylor blocked well. Other than that though there was precious little from the Premiership team and they badly needed to up the tempo in the second half, or introduce fresh faces. Houllier rejected the latter idea at first, yet with Igor Biscan, Smicer and Danny Murphy replicating each other's passing there was too much sideways movement from Liverpool.

Fulham, by contrast, became more direct as time went by. Bjarne Goldbaek, the former Chelsea wing-back, started to impose himself on the right. On the hour a move along that flank ended with Saha shooting over narrowly from 20 yards. Saha was becoming more and more of a handful for the red backline. With 20 minutes remaining, he set Fernandes free down the right. With Liverpool committed in attack for a corner, Fernandes galloped away, then intelligently returned the ball to Saha in space. It took an emergency lunge by Stephane Henchoz to block a shot that could well have given Saha his 21st goal of the season and Fulham an other upset.

Perhaps that prospect frightened Liverpool. At last they responded with some vigour. Smicer rounded Taylor only to strike a weak effort into the side-netting in the 77th minute and seconds later Heskey unleashed a rising fierce shot from outside the area.

Extra-time was calling, it called for Micheal Owen.

Liverpool: Westerveld, Henchoz, Babbel, Smicer, Heskey (Barmby 96), Fowler (Owen 74), Hyypia, Murphy, Gerrard (McAllister 115), Carragher, Biscan. Subs Not Used: Nielsen, Vignal. Goals: Owen 105, Smicer 114, Barmby 120.

Fulham: Taylor, Finnan, Brevett, Melville, Coleman, Clark, Hayles (Boa Morte 91), Goldbaek, Saha, Davis, Fernandes (Stolcers 91). Subs Not Used: Symons, Trollope, Hahnemann. Booked: Boa Morte.

Referee: D Gallagher (Banbury).