Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez looked to a future without Michael Owen as he defended the decision to sell the striker for a cut-price fee.

Benitez has been bombarded with questions about Owen's weekend move to Real Madrid for a transfer fee of just £8m plus makeweight midfielder Antonio Nunez.

However, after Liverpool's first game without Owen - a 1-1 draw at Tottenham - Benitez is hoping the fans can now start to look forward, rather than dwell on the past.

"People talk a lot about Michael but the problem is that he's not here any more,'' declared Benitez.

"So it is better to talk about the future. The future of Liverpool Football Club is without Michael Owen.

"It is to work with these good players. We need time now, the team needs time as there is a new manager with new ideas.

"I talked to Michael but, with just one more year of his contract left, it was very difficult to control the situation as his agent was talking with Real Madrid.

"Don't lose the player or don't lose the money. You have to have something. I remember Steve McManaman."

The former Valencia boss added: "The problem is that Real Madrid already had three very good strikers, so they thought they could always sign Michael in January.

"They were not in a hurry. So the problem was that we could have lost the player and the money.

"I arrived and the club said to me that they had been waiting one year [for Owen to sign]. In one month's time, it was difficult to change that.''

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