 Fowler began the 2001 – 02 season controversially , after being dropped by the then manager Gérard Houllier from the Liverpool squad for the 2001 Charity Shield match following a training ground confrontation with assistant manager Phil Thompson . He made an appearance in Liverpool 's 3 – 2 European Super Cup victory over Bayern Munich , but starts were intermittent . In October 2001 , he scored his first league hat @-@ trick for three years , helping Liverpool beat Leicester City 4 – 1 , but was dropped for the following league match . Though Fowler had been on a contract extension from 1999 ( unlike Steve McManaman – who exercised his Bosman entitlement the very same year ) , Fowler was linked to Lazio , Arsenal and Leeds , and Liverpool 's management as well as fans and the media constantly reported that what happened with McManaman ( regarded as a huge financial loss ) would never be repeated and thus the club never rejected those bids without consideration . This meant that coupled with Fowler 's relationship with Houllier , speculation over Fowler 's future persisted for most of Houllier 's tenure and became an issue that divided Liverpool fans . His last appearance for Liverpool was against Sunderland , in which he was substituted at half @-@ time . 
 Fowler began the 2001 – 02 season controversially , after being dropped by the then manager Gérard Houllier from the Liverpool squad for the 2001 Charity Shield match following a training ground confrontation with assistant manager Phil Thompson . He made an appearance in Liverpool <a href='null_genetive' title='1'><mark>'s</mark></a>3 – 2 European Super Cup victory over Bayern Munich , but starts <a href='uninflect' title='2'><mark>were</mark></a> intermittent . In October 2001 , he scored his first league hat @-@ trick for three years , helping Liverpool beat Leicester City 4 – 1 , but was dropped for the following league match . Though Fowler had been on a contract extension from 1999 ( unlike Steve McManaman – <a href='null_relcl' title='3'><mark>who</mark></a><a href='been_done' title='4'><mark></mark></a> exercised his Bosman entitlement the very same year ) , Fowler was linked to Lazio , Arsenal and Leeds , and Liverpool <a href='null_genetive' title='5'><mark>'s</mark></a>management as well as fans and the media constantly reported that what happened with McManaman ( regarded as a huge financial loss ) would never be repeated and thus the club never rejected <a href='None' title='6'><mark>those</mark></a><a href='negative_concord' title='7'><mark>bids</mark></a> without <a href='negative_concord' title='8'><mark>consideration</mark></a> . This meant that coupled with Fowler <a href='null_genetive' title='9'><mark>'s</mark></a>relationship with Houllier , speculation over Fowler <a href='null_genetive' title='10'><mark>'s</mark></a>future persisted for most of Houllier <a href='null_genetive' title='11'><mark>'s</mark></a>tenure and became an issue <a href='null_relcl' title='12'><mark>that</mark></a>divided Liverpool fans . His last appearance for Liverpool was against Sunderland , in which he was substituted at half @-@ time . 
Fowler began the 2001 – 02 season controversially , after bein dropped by da then manager Gérard Houllier from the Liverpool squad for tda2001 Charity Shield match following a training ground confrontation wid assistant manager Phil Thompson . He made an appearance in Liverpool  3 – 2 European Super Cup victory ova Bayern Munich , but starts was intermittent . In October 2001 , he scored his first league hat @-@ trick fa three years , helping Liverpool beat Leicester City 4 – 1 , but was dropped ffirthe following league match . Though Fowler had been on a contract extension from 1999 ( unlike Steve McManaman –  been exercised his Bosman entitlement thdaery same year ) , Fowler was linked to Lazio , Arsenal and Leeds , and Liverpool  management as well as fans and the media constantly reported dat what happened with McManaman ( regarded as a bigass financial loss ) would never be repeated and thus the club never rejected no bids without no consideration . This meant that coupled with Fowler  relationship with Houllier , speculation over Fowler  future persisted ffirmost of Houllier  tenure and became an issue divided Liverpool fans . His last appearance for Liverpool was against Sunderland , in which he was substituted at half @-@ time .