Westerveld fires Owen warning

Owen has been in excellent pre-season form

Liverpool keeper Sander Westerveld has warned his Dutch team-mates that Michael Owen is getting back to his best.

Both players were celebrating on Sunday when they defeated Manchester United 2-1 in the Charity Shield, with Owen netting the second.

But they will be in rival camps when England face Holland in a friendly at White Hart Lane on Wednesday.

"Michael is one of the best strikers in the world," Westerveld said. "He is really on fire at the moment.

Michael is really on fire at the moment

  Sander Westerveld

"He is top quality and, as he showed last season, he gives his best in the big games."

The Liverpool keeper has also been impressed by the way the striker has bounced back from a series of niggling hamstring problems.

Owen has been in excellent form in Liverpool's pre-season build-up and scored a hat-trick against Finnish side FC Haka in the first leg of their Champions League qualifier.

Westerveld said: "You look at the way he has been performing in pre-season. The way he has bounced back from last year is unbelievable."

Liverpool won a cup treble last season and their three main strikers, Owen, Robbie Fowler and Emile Heskey have all been called up by England.

And Westerveld believes England coach Sven Goran Eriksson has nothing to worry about with them in the squad.

He added: "I think England can really relax as they have three quality strikers to call on."