Owen's jibe at PFA omission

LIVERPOOL striker Michael Owen has had a dig at his fellow professionals for failing to pick him in the PFA's Team of the Year.

Owen was overlooked for one of the two striking roles in the Premiership Select XI, in preference to Ruud van Nistelrooy and Thierry Henry.

England's stand-in skipper believes his blistering early season form should have warranted his inclusion in the side, although he insists he is not bitter at being snubbed.

Though Owen has endured something of a lean spell in recent weeks, he has plundered 25 goals for Liverpool in all competitions this season.

However, both van Nistelrooy and Henry have rattled in more goals, as has Chelsea hot-shot Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink.

Manchester United poacher van Nistelrooy's tally stands at 33, Arsenal ace Henry has notched 30 while Dutch hit-man Hasselbaink has 29 goals to his name.

Ruminating over his exclusion, Owen wondered whether current form had been the criteria for selection in the team, rather than performances over the course of the campaign.

He said: "I don't want to sound bitter about it but if it was picked at the start of this year, I think I would have been in it, with the start to the season that I'd had, and the goals in Germany and against Albania.

"When it's picked, you often think to the moment and van Nistelrooy, Henry and Pires were then on fire.

"I'm not doubting that they've had a great season as they deserve it.

"But we won the Charity Shield and Super Cup at the start of the season when I scored a lot of goals. If you stopped there, I might have got into the team."