Beckham backs Liverpool call

England captain David Beckham joined those calling for Liverpool to be allowed to enter next season's European Champions League.

"They way they've played, they've won the Champions League so of course they should be in it next year," Beckham said in an interview following the launch of the David Beckham Soccer Academy in Los Angeles on Thursday.

Liverpool won the Champions League with a dramatic come-from-behind victory against Milan last week but missed out on automatic qualification for next season's competition after finishing fifth in England's Premier League when only the top four go through.

UEFA is expected to discuss whether to allow a fifth English team in next season at its executive committee meeting in Manchester on June 17.

Beckham arrived in Los Angeles after helping England to a 3-2 victory over Colombia in New Jersey on Tuesday. His Real Madrid team mate Michael Owen scored all three England goals.

"It was a great performance. Michael Owen is a great goalscorer and he proves that when he plays, when he gets chances and he got chances the other night and he scored three goals so for us it was great," Beckham said.

England also won the other game of their short US tour, beating the host nation 2-1 in Chicago.