Michael Owen served up some vintage bite during what became a gloriously awkward television interview about Liverpool's managerial search.

The former Reds striker was at Chester Races on Saturday when Sky Sports reporter Matt Chapman approached him about the club's hunt for Arne Slot's replacement. What followed was peak Owen, complete with a dig that left the interviewer scrambling.

Slot departed Anfield on Saturday after delivering a Premier League title and securing Champions League qualification with a fifth place finish in his second season. Now Liverpool are moving quickly to find their next boss, with former Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola emerging as the frontrunner.

The club are expected to hold talks with Iraola's representatives this week, keen to have a new manager in place before the World Cup kicks off on June 11th. It's that urgency that prompted Chapman to quiz Owen about potential candidates.

"If you could pick a manager for Liverpool, who would you pick?" Chapman asked, seemingly unaware he was about to walk into Owen's crosshairs.

Owen's response started innocently enough. "It looks like Iraola might have a chance, doesn't it? The Bournemouth manager. Do you know him?"

When Chapman admitted he didn't know Iraola, Owen pounced. "I know him very well," he said, before delivering the killer blow that had social media buzzing within minutes.

"I love the way you ask football questions, but you don't know anything about football."

Brutal. Absolutely brutal.

To his credit, Chapman tried to laugh it off with a joke about knowing "about survival in the Premier League, and that's all that matters" while revealing he's a Tottenham fan. But Owen wasn't finished.

"Liverpool are a bit more than that, I think, but anyway," came the perfectly timed final word that left no doubt about what the former England striker thinks of reporters who don't do their homework.

Beyond the entertainment value, Owen's backing of Iraola carries weight. The 43-year-old Spanish coach has transformed Bournemouth into a genuine force, guiding them to sixth place last season, their highest ever Premier League finish. That achievement also secured Europa League qualification for the first time in the club's history.

Iraola's stock has never been higher, and Liverpool clearly see him as the ideal candidate to build on Slot's foundation. The Dutchman's departure might have been unexpected, but the club's swift move for his replacement suggests they've been planning for this moment.

Owen's endorsement adds another layer of credibility to Iraola's candidacy. When a former Liverpool great who "knows him very well" publicly backs your appointment, it tends to carry some serious weight at Anfield.

The interview also highlighted something deeper about football coverage today. Owen's frustration with Chapman's lack of knowledge wasn't just about one awkward exchange, it was about the broader issue of reporters covering subjects they don't fully understand.

For Liverpool supporters, Owen's passionate defence of the club's standards will resonate. This is a club that demands excellence, not survival, and anyone covering their managerial search should probably know who the leading candidates actually are.

As talks with Iraola's camp intensify this week, Owen's public backing might prove prophetic, and his brutal honesty has certainly given us the most entertaining interview of the managerial search so far.