Souness: "I Was Not Under Pressure"

Souness has insisted he has not felt under extra pressure despite poor performances in the first five matches of the season.

Souness said: "Security is not something that goes hand in hand with football management and that is a word I have never used and never will.

"We are at a big football club and we have to be in the top half of the table. We spent a lot of money this year and I have said all along I want to be judged on what happens on the pitch.

"It means I will be more pleasant around my family but the pressure starts again tomorrrow when we come in for training and build up to the Manchester City game.

"It is great for Michael to get off the mark and he needed that 90 minutes today to be somewhere nearer where he wants to be. It was the first week we have had to train with him because of the internationals but I don't think anyone is surprised that Michael scored a goal today.

"I thought it was a nervy affair until we scored the first goal because it was two teams aware of the situation. Confidence plays such a big part and some people need a great deal of it and some get by with not a lot.

"I felt when we scored we started to play with a lot more confidence and we were passing it around."

Owen, asked if he was relieved to have got off the mark for his new club, told Sky Sports Premiership Plus: "I have no doubt in my mind that I will score goals and I hope there are more important ones to come but the relief for me is getting the first three points because we badly needed them and hopefully we can go on a run now.

"Alan's goal was the most important one today. It was his goal that opened them up. They only had one up front and, with us scoring, they had to go forwards more which created chances for us."