Owen celebrates Liverpool return with a goal

Goals from Jamie Redknapp and Michael Owen, back after five weeks out through injury, were enough to give Liverpool a 2-0 win over Charlton Athletic at The Valley.

The victory made it three wins and a draw from four games on their travels since Phil Thompson took over the managerial reins from Gerard Houllier who remains in hospital after heart surgery.

The only downside for Liverpool was the sending off of young defender Stephen Wright for two bookable offences just before the end.

After a scrappy opening, Liverpool took the lead after 14 minutes when a long throw from Wright was flicked on by Steven Gerard and Redknapp volleyed home from 12 yards.

Charlton fought their way back and had a great chance to equalise when a corner was only cleared as far as Claus Jensen, but his low shot from the edge of the box was just wide.

Moments later, a Jensen cross was guided down by Mark Kinsella, but Jonatan Johansson fired his close range shot the wrong side of the post.

Just before the break, Charlton were made to pay for those misses by Owen, who was playing his first game since injuring his hamstring last month.

The England forward latched on to a precise through-ball from Dietmar Hamann before coolly lifting his shot over the advancing Dean Kiely to double Liverpool's lead.

Charlton improved after the break and threw everything at the visitors in a bid to get back into the game.

A Johansson cross-shot eluded Liverpool keeper Jerzy Dudek, but bounced off the angle of post and bar to safety, while substitute Sean Bartlett saw a goal-bound effort headed over the bar by Jamie Carragher.

John Robinson found space in the box, but struck his half-volley from 12 yards to the outside of the post. It was not to be Charlton's game.

But the match ended on a sour note for the visitors when Wright, who had earlier been booked for a foul on Robinson, mis-timed a challenge on Kinsella and was given a second yellow card.