It would be great to overhear the conversation between Robbie Fowler and Dominic Matteo at the City of Manchester Stadium tonight. The two pals both come from Liverpool and have played together not only at their hometown club but at Leeds as well.

Fowler is traditionally the joker but what odds would you get on central defender Matteo reminding him that he scored against Fulham last week while Fowler was flopping in the Manchester derby.


Friends Reunited - Matteo and Fowler

1985 – Pleased to meet you

Dominic joins the Liverpool School of Excellence at the same time as an 11-year-old Robbie Fowler.

1997 – Goals galore

Arguably the highlight of their Liverpool career together. Fowler scores twice including a last minute winner in the second 4-3 triumph against Newcastle. Matteo becomes a regular first-teamer making 31 appearances and able to play anywhere along the defence or even in midfield.

2000/01 – Follow my leader

Matteo joins Leeds for £5million in 2000 as Gerard Houllier rebuilds Liverpool. The following year Fowler makes the same move, this time for £11million. But his arrival coincides with a downswing in Leeds United’s fortunes on and off the pitch.

When Dominic Matteo headed only his second goal in a 10-year career against Fulham last Sunday, his old mate Robbie Fowler must have been extremely envious.

Fowler lives for scoring goals but has only found the net three times this season as Manchester City’s season gives new meaning to the word erratic.

Fowler and Matteo were born 11 months apart and their careers have uncanny resemblances.

Both graduated through the Liverpool School of Excellence and both broke through into the Liverpool first-team in the 1993/94 season.

But whereas Robbie’s goals quickly made him an Anfield legend Matteo’s versatility proved a problem; he would be constantly moved around the pitch to fill in for other injuries and suspensions.

When Gerard Houllier arrived, Matteo moved to Leeds where he hoped to become a first-choice centre-half. Robbie stayed at Anfield and even set up a goal for Nick Barmby for Liverpool against Leeds in the FA Cup in 2001.

However, later that year Robbie was reunited with Dominic at Elland Road with Houllier settling on a partnership at Anfield between Michael Owen and Emile Heskey.

Their time together at Leeds wasn’t happy, with injuries, financial disasters and poor results transforming Leeds from a top-four club to a bottom-four club.

Robbie was sacrificed to Manchester City earlier this year to ease Leeds’ money worries. Dominic remains and despite his goal against Fulham, they travel to City on Monday night still in the bottom three.

Manchester City v Leeds United, FA Premiership, Monday 22 December 2003 at the City of Manchester Stadium