The former Liverpool star scored a crucial goal three minutes after coming coming on as a substitute for Guti as Real kept up the pressure on league leaders Barcelona.

Roberto Carlos' low free-kick was parried and when Raul's shot was kept out, Owen was in the right place to stoop low and head home.

Two minutes later Ivan Helguera scored the winner for Real, who have won seven games in a row under new coach Vanderlei Luxemburgo.

Owen's effort was his ninth in the Primera Liga and in all competitions he now has 12 goals in 24 games, half of which have been as substitute.

With the England man scoring at a better goals-per-minute than anyone else in Spain, there is now increasing pressure on Luxemburgo to include Owen in his starting line-up.

"He is bound to get angry and feel sad but I can say Owen will play more," Luxemburgo said. "Raul and Ronaldo are not always going to start every game.

"I like Owen a lot in training, he is always willing, ready to listen to things. He is a bit introverted but he has got character."

Speaking exclusively to TheFA.com, Real Madrid Vice President Emilio Butragueno said that Owen has an important place at the club.

"He has been a very important player for Real Madrid. The competition is fierce but I think that in this Real team everyone can play a pivotal role.

"Obviously we have a very strong squad and in that squad we are fortunate enough to have outstanding strikers. It was good that when other players were not scoring, Michael was in form. We are lucky to have him.

"Michael is very competitive, he wanted to play well from the very start. So it [is] hard for him to not play every game.

"However, since he joined he has behaved like the perfect English gentleman. He is an extraordinary man. For such a big star to accept starting on the bench shows a very good character. I have been impressed with the way he has handled everything."

Owen's first season in the Spanish capital has been a frustrating experience. In just five months he has had to prove himself to three managers and whatever heroics the former Liverpool player has performed, it seems they have not been enough to break the favoured Raul-Ronaldo partnership.

"The first manager came along and I never started that much. But the more he was here the more I played," the striker said.

"Then the second manager came and he went back to the normal 11 that everyone associated with.

"But I had eight or nine games on the spin and scored seven goals on the bounce. I was doing all right and then he left and now I am back to where I was again.

"It has not been ideal but it looks as if this manager is here to stay so I will keep plugging away."