Liverpool brushed Leeds aside to register an important 6-1 away win thanks to goals from Cody Gakpo and a brace each for Mohamed Salah and Diogo Jota followed by a late effort from Darwin Nunez.
The Reds made the trip to Elland Road on Monday night with the task of keeping their faint hopes of Champions League qualification alive. It has been a torrid season for Liverpool, with Jurgen Klopp's men falling well below their usual standards and as a result went into this tie languishing in eighth in the table.
Liverpool boast a miserable record on the road this season, but managed to overcome a Leeds side in desperate need of three points. In the process, Klopp's men managed to reply to an old Anfield star in perfect fashion.
Former Reds ace Owen was speaking to AceOdds before the game at Leeds when he revealed what he thought was the root of Liverpool's problems this season.
"If I have to say one thing at the moment that Liverpool are doing now that they haven't done in the past, it's the pressing game. Liverpool were light years ahead of everybody else, when it was [Sadio] Mane, Salah, [Roberto] Firmino up front.
"Okay, it would be maybe a little bit scary because Liverpool played such a high line etc, but it only happened once a game or twice a game. In return for that, Liverpool would win the ball about 30 times in the opponent's half and have those chances, so it was a risk worth taking."
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Owen went on to explain how the more attacking Liverpool players have to shoulder plenty of the responsibility in regards to why the press hasn't been as fluent and seamless this season.
"Now I just can't see the press. All of a sudden Liverpool are still trying to play a high line, an aggressive game, but without any form of cohesion in the forward position. So subsequently they're being exposed loads and loads of times and now it looks like the whole deck of cards has fallen down."
He later added: "But as I say, despite the dozen or so things that Liverpool fans are complaining about in terms of their team at the moment, if I had my choice and had one thing that I could bring back into this team it would be to get that press right again at the top of the pitch."
Owen's comments didn't age particularly well in relation to this game, with the likes of Gakpo and Diogo Jota both on hand to make key interceptions that ended up being vital for the Reds.
Both put in spirited displays from both an attacking and defensive standpoints, with Gakpo scoring the first and Jota pinching the ball off of Junior Firpo in the build-up for Salah's goal that made it 2-0.
For all of Owen's complaints about the 'top of the pitch', it was in the Liverpool backline where errors were made. Ibrahima Konate was the guilty party for Leeds' goal, with the Frenchman disposessed by Luis Sinisterra early on in the second-half.
Thankfully for Klopp, Jota spared Konate's blushes with his first goal in 33 games before Salah ended the tie as a contest with his second of the match to make it 4-1.
Minutes later it was Jota who had his second, firing home a delightful half-volley from the edge of the penalty area. Nunez added a sixth in second-half stoppage time in front of a half-empty Elland Road.
Liverpool, for all of Owen's frustration, are now six points behind the Europa League spots, having played a game less than fifth-placed Tottenham.
