 Despite his popularity with Liverpool fans , who referred to Fowler as " God " , Michael Owen and Emile Heskey had established themselves as Liverpool 's regular strike partnership , leaving Fowler on the fringes of the first team . This , along with his difficult relationship with Houllier , made him seek regular first team football away from Anfield in the form of a £ 12 million move to Leeds United . Fowler maintains that Houllier forced him out of Liverpool , and accused Houllier of <unk> the Liverpool Echo newspaper to use its influence to turn opinion against him . 
