Former Liverpool midfielder Jason McAteer has insisted that Michael Owen will be remembered as a "great" player.

The 33-year-old has announced that he will retire from professional football at the end of the season following a 17-year career within the game.

"There's only one person who can make that decision [to retire] and that's himself," McAteer told Sky Sports News. "His heart will want to play on, but his head and body will be screaming to stop.

"His last three or four years have not been great but we will remember Michael as a great. Michael was an outstanding talent in youth cup games and he stood out like a sore thumb. His pace was unbelievable and we knew it was only a matter of time that he was breaking into the first team."

Owen earned 89 England caps and scored 40 goals, which places him fourth in the Three Lions all-time list.