Michael Owen will step out at the Millennium Stadium for the biggest game of his life aiming to wipe away the bitter memory of Liverpool's last FA Cup final experience.

Owen, who is expecting to commit his future to Liverpool in the summer when new contract negotiations start, was a bright-eyed schoolboy travelling to Wembley with other Anfield young hopefuls when he went to his first FA Cup final, the 1996 clash against Manchester United.

Liverpool lost in the closing minutes that day at Wembley to an Eric Cantona goal, and the sadness Owen felt as he watched the humiliation by the bitterest enemies of the club he would soon join as a full-time professional has dogged his memory ever since.

Now Owen, in his best form of the season after six goals in a week, can clinch his first-ever winners' medal in the Cardiff final against Arsenal, and also make up for having to sit on the bench in February in this same stadium when Liverpool won the Worthington Cup.

Owen said: ''The Liverpool-Manchester United final was the first one I'd ever been to, and the memory of losing 1-0 to 'them' hasn't left me.

''We still have a couple of lads here who played in that game and they know how bad it is to lose in an FA Cup final. Hopefully we don't get that feeling this time.''

But Owen knows that this could be the toughest game of Liverpool's long season.

He said: ''It's all set up to be a great game. We've beaten Arsenal once this season and they've beaten us - it's very close, very even.

''They have so many world-class players it's hard to pick out their best player.

''They've got a great defence with so much experience, fine players in midfield and really quality strikers. But then you have to be a good team to be second in the Premiership.

''This one is the decider between us, and it's a very important decider, you can't begin to pick a favourite. When it's as even as this one - it takes a brave man to pick a winner.''

Owen has immense respect for the quality of Highbury, particularly their defence, and knows he will be in for one of the toughest days of his career.

He said: ''The Arsenal back four is brilliant - Adams and Keown are the foundation and they have Ashley Cole as one of the brightest talents in English football so they have some youth coming through into that defence.

''Silvinho is a quality player, Seaman is one of the best keepers in the world.''

But he added: ''But then we have world-class players too. We have made good progress this season, the cup finals have started to take on a real importance even though we are still going for the Champions League.

''They are massive games for the club. Liverpool have had plenty of European and domestic cups before so hopefully we can add one more to the collection ourselves.''

Owen has taken it on the chin after not playing against Birmingham in that February final, when Robbie Fowler's cracker was the highlight of a game drawn 1-1 but won on penalties.

Owen added: ''It was frustrating not to get on in the Worthington Cup final, everybody wants to play in the big ones, I'm no different.

''But we have played 60 or so games this season and everybody can't play in every one.

''Football is quicker these days, your body just can't cope with 60 games. As for the Worthington Cup final, there's no point in looking back on what could have been.

''Hopefully I have done enough between then and now to have earned a place in the line-up, and it would be great to play. But whoever plays, it will be a great occasion."

And on those much-trumpeted contract talks, Owen is still very positive about the outcome.

He said: ''I'm more than happy to stay at Liverpool. But at the moment I'm not even thinking about contracts, that's all for the end of the season.

''We have two cup finals and the Champions League to worry about and I'm still too deeply involved in an important season to be thinking about new contracts, it is not a pressing issue at the moment.

''But I will be delighted to re-sign if the figures add up. I want to play for Liverpool and I want to continue my career here.

''The club have approached my advisers about an extension, and we will talk about it in the summer. If the figures are right then I will be happy to sign.''

Owen added: ''The long term future of the club is looking good and I'm going to be part of it.

''The question of whether or not I will be staying has never been an issue.

"Liverpool have told me they want to keep me and I'm really pleased about that.

''I've agreed to start negotiating a new contract at the end of the season. I've been here ten years and the future has never looked as good as it does now. I'm very excited about what is to come.

''There's a lot of optimism here because we are a club going forward. It's not been much of a title race this season because Manchester United won by so many points, but we will be much closer next year.''