Strange how quickly things can change. Two years ago Glenn Hoddle, as England's coach, voiced puzzling doubts about Michael Owen's international credentials. Now Hoddle nominates Owen as England's "man of destiny . . . worthy and productive successor capable of wearing the boots of the departed king (Alan Shearer)".

Last May Gerard Houllier was congratulating himself on transforming Liverpool's defence into the Premiership's meanest. But on Saturday he was "very angry", even though he gave an object lesson in managerial restraint after the disarray that invited Southampton's thrilling comeback in the last 17 minutes. Because Hoddle's praise of Owen in a Sunday newspaper interview was presumably penned before Saturday, Southampton's manager must have felt a bitter-sweet satisfaction when the Liverpool striker supported his words with such potency. "At 3-0 down I felt the only difference was Michael Owen," Hoddle said.

But then things, most notably Liverpool's defence, unravelled in a most peculiar way. Houllier's rearguard exposed glaring aerial deficiencies and conceded three goals. Hoddle could also congratulate himself on the performances of all three substitutes as Southampton recovered almost in spite of themselves. He himself touched on the game's many paradoxes after Marians Pahars started and completed the improbable revival. Though as the manager admitted afterwards: "That's probably the worst game he's had for the club, yet he scored twice." But for many observers the puzzle was why Pahars was again deployed wide and not in a central position, from where he scored both goals? And why was the ineffective Uwe Rosler not replaced by James Beattie's greater physical presence until eight minutes from time?

Southampton's recovery was already under way by that point, with Pahars producing an embarrassingly easy header for their first goal and Matthew le Tissier delivering teasing crosses. The final act of Southampton's favourite son was more hopeful than calculated, but no matter: Djimi Traore headed most obligingly into Pahars' path two minutes into injury-time. In between, Tahar El Khalej had produced a marvellous back-header, albeit from what looked an offside position, for the second.

Earlier Owen had shown stealth, strength and poise in scoring with left-foot, angled shots after holding off first Claus Lundekvam and then Dean Richards. Both managers agreed the striker seemed free of the psychological shackles imposed by his troublesome hamstrings.

Liverpool's manager will hope that Gary McAllister, missing here "for family reasons", will be available for the next three games and that Christian Ziege will bring some stability to his puzzling defence.

SOUTHAMPTON: Moss, Dodd (El Khalej 61), Bridge, Richards, Lundekvam, Draper, Tessem, Oakley, Pahars, Rosler (Beattie 82), Kachloul (Le Tissier 61). Subs Not Used: Soltvedt, Jones.

LIVERPOOL: Westerveld, Traore, Carragher, Babbel, Hyypia, Hamann, Smicer (Murphy 74), Owen, Gerrard, Henchoz, Barmby (Staunton 81). Subs Not Used: Song, Meijer, Arphexad.