Alan Shearer and Michael Owen played together for one season at Newcastle (Image: Getty Images)
Micah Richards was left in hysterics when Gary Lineker left Alan Shearer to wax lyrical about Michael Owen despite their much-publicised rivalry. Shearer and Owen have quite the history, having played together for England as well as Newcastle in what was the final season of the former's professional career in the 2005/06 campaign.
The pair were reunited in 2009 when the Magpies icon was named Newcastle's interim boss for the last eight games of the Premier League season with the club fighting to stave off relegation. Conflict between the ex-England strikers was sparked on the final day of the 2008-09 season and in the years since.
Owen had told Shearer that he wasn't fit enough to play 90 minutes in an away clash against Aston Villa with Newcastle needing to avoid defeat to escape relegation. The former Liverpool striker came on for the final 25 minutes as Newcastle fell to a 1-0 defeat, confirming their drop into the Championship.
While there's been plenty of back-and-forth's between the pair since that fateful day, Shearer was forced to field questions about his ex-colleague on a recent episode of The Rest is Football podcast. A fan wrote into the show to ask Shearer, Lineker, and Richards just how good former Ballon d'Or winner Owen was in his prime as the teasing of the MOTD pundit had begun.
A smiling Lineker cheekily said: "I know you love Michael a lot so I'll leave this one with you Alan," which sent Richards into a rapture of laughter as Shearer stated that he holds no bias towards Owen's abilities during his playing days. "I'm never ever against his ability, I played with him remember, the Argentina game, when he scored that goal, bloody hell man," the all-time Premier League scorer said.
Shearer's co-hosts didn't let up as Richards added: "He started sweating, come on Al, talk us through your mate," which prompted the ex-striker to say: "What do you want me to say" before adding in a jibe about Owen's turbulent period at Newcastle: "He was a brilliant centre-forward, just not at Newcastle."
The Newcastle icon wore a smile as Owen's name was brought up during the show (Image: The Rest is Football podcast/YouTube)
Owen and Shearer clashed on social media in 2019 after the publication of Owen's tell-all book, when Shearer responded by posting a video on X with a video in which Owen said: "I hated it, I couldn't wait to retire." Shearer captioned the post: "Yes Michael, we thought that also, whilst on £120k a week..."
Owen then hit back: "Not sure you are as loyal to Newcastle as you make out mate. I distinctly remember you being inches away from signing for Liverpool after Sir Bobby Robson put you on the bench. You tried everything to get out."
Not long after that, Owen addressed his relationship with Shearer on talkSPORT in 2019. He said: "It is sad. I have got no problem with Alan. I like the guy, we have great history, but sadly he has this view of myself that I didn't want to play in this game. I know why he has come to this conclusion but come on. I said to Alan, 'I'll do whatever you want'.
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"It is a shame because I have nothing but respect for him - his career, him as a person - but I just feel really sad that he almost uses me as a scapegoat for what happened in his managerial career at Newcastle."
Speaking last year, Owen admitted that he and Shearer hadn't spoke since the social media spat and extended the olive branch to his former colleague. He told DAZN: “I haven't spoken to Alan Shearer since he criticised my book, no. Alan works at the BBC and I work on other channels, so we rarely cross paths. I would say hello and shake his hand, things like that, but no we haven't spoken since then.”
