MICHAEL OWEN has named his best-ever Premier League side, opting to include rival Alan Shearer but leaving out Manchester United legend Wayne Rooney.
The former Liverpool, Real Madrid and Newcastle striker mocked up his team in honour of the Prem celebrating its 30th anniversary over the weekend.
He did so alongside Arsenal icon Ian Wright on the Premier League's Final Word show.
In goal, Owen went for Man Utd legend Peter Schmeichel, with a completely English back four of Gary Neville, Rio Ferdinand, John Terry and Ashley Cole.
Owen admitted that the midfield three was the toughest selection to make.
But he eventually went for ex-team-mate Steven Gerrard, Paul Scholes and Patrick Vieira.
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And then up front he picked Cristiano Ronaldo, Thierry Henry and Shearer.
Owen went for Shearer despite their much-publicised spats over recent years – stemming from their time together at St James' Park.
Speaking about the legendary Blackburn and Newcastle striker, he said: "The highest scorer in the Premier League. An absolute monster of a centre-forward."
But there was no place for Rooney – who Owen spent time with for England and United – with the ex-Liverpool man admitting it was "very difficult" to leave the Three Lions' record goalscorer out.
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As Owen felt he had omitted so many world class players, he also selected three substitutes for his side.
They were Yaya Toure, Rooney and Kevin de Bruyne.
Wright took umbrage with a couple of the picks – although he stopped short of naming his own team, insisting it was too tough to choose.
He felt Tony Adams needed to be alongside Ferdinand instead of ex-Chelsea captain Terry.
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Wright also wanted to put Roy Keane in there, but did not know which of Gerrard, Scholes and Vieira to take out.
Owen made another side point about Liverpool centre-back Virgil van Dijk.
He said the Dutchman has impressed him the most of any defender in a one-off season, but is yet to produce the body of work in the Premier League that Ferdinand and Terry managed.
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