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Tag: James Milner

  • I’d be a Man Utd fan on Wednesday, says Liverpool’s James Milner

    James Milner will break the habit of a lifetime and become a Manchester United fan for once

    Liverpool are on course to amass 97 points, a figure that remarkably may not be enough to end their 29-year wait to become champions.

    But Milner does not believe a City victory in the Manchester derby will make the outcome of this duel a foregone conclusion.

    ‘It’ll be the first time in my life!’ Milner said with a grimace when asked if he was comfortable wanting United to win.

    ‘I don’t watch (games like these), to be honest. It’s a bit of a waste of energy, isn’t it, willing the ball into the goal and things like that. I can’t do anything about it.

    ‘Maybe I’ll put my phone away for a couple of hours and check it after. Maybe I’ll go and grab some food or whatever.

    “There are three games left. United will be a challenge for City, but it’s the old cliché – any game is tough in the Premier League no matter who you play.

    ‘To try and win a league title is not easy, whoever you play. Trust me, I know. Remember QPR (against Man City in 2012)?

    “To beat anyone is tough when it is all on the line. We’ve still got some tough games ourselves – and we have to win those and keep the pressure up.’

    Read Also: Milner hails City’s response

    Liverpool have won eight consecutive games in all competitions since a 0-0 draw with Everton on March 3.

    But whatever Milner and his team-mates achieve before the end of the campaign, he believes the indications for the coming years are hugely encouraging.

    ‘For a long time we have had our head round the fact that we just need to win all of our games,’ said Milner.

    ‘If we do that and it’s not good enough, you have to hold your hands up and say “well done City”.

    All we can do is keep asking them questions and keep winning our games.

    ‘We know they’re a top team and they’ve done it before. It’s about encouragement at how we have improved.

    “Of course it’s frustrating that we could have one defeat and it might still not be enough but all we can do is win the rest of our games and keep putting them under pressure.’

    Dailymail

     

  • Milner can play until he is 38 – Klopp

    Liverpool Manager, Juergen Klopp, believes midfielder, James Milner, is capable of playing until he is 38.

    The 32-year-old Milner has been one of the standout performers of Liverpool’s opening two games and is in line to play against Brighton and Hove Albion on Saturday.

    The Premier League’s joint leaders are seeking a third consecutive victory from the start of the season — a feat they have only achieved, four times since 1990.

    “If you’re 32 in any company in the world, they tell you to wait a few years until you can get a real job.

    “In football, it sounds like they’re close to retirement,’’ said Klopp.

    “But our players can play until 38 and I’m sure he’s one of them if he can keep free of injuries.

    “I didn’t work with Milner (when he was younger) but he is always good since I worked with him.

    “His desire to keep free of injuries is exceptional.’’

    Milner, who is teetotal, has been playing top-flight football for half his life, making his debut as a 16-year-old for Leeds United.

    He went on to make 500 league appearances and winning 61 caps for England before announcing his international retirement.

    Klopp now has a wealth of options in midfield, with new signing Naby Keita impressing in his opening games and Jordan Henderson yet to start.

    The German knows he has to rein in rising expectations this season when Liverpool are tipped to provide Manchester City with their main title threat.

    Yet, he warned, they will have to be at their best against Brighton, who will be boosted by last week’s 3-2 win over Manchester United.

    “They are a really good team and I respect a lot what Chris (Hughton) is doing there, not just the Man United game.

    “They’re very good, organised and on point. United had chances for a much better result but we are warned. We have to be 100 per cent.’’

    Klopp also paid tribute to Sadio Mane, who is outscoring teammate Mohamed Salah this season with three goals from his opening two games.

    “He plays his third season here. He has constantly improved. We really knew we would get a good player,’’ he said.

    “Did we know exactly how he’s good? I wouldn’t say so. He’s stepped it up. He’s a very nice person. That’s it.

    “All the others benefit from good players around but we can still improve and so can Sadio, but his consistency is quite impressive.’’

    Klopp also said he expected centre-half, Dejan Lovren, to remain out until after next month’s international break.

    “There were no new developments on keeper Loris Karius’s expected move to Besiktas,’’ he added

  • Liverpool falter again

    Liverpool falter again

    Liverpool’s hopes of securing an English Premier League top-four spot suffered another blow on Sunday after a goalless draw against Southampton, following James Milner second-half penalty kick miss.

    It was a match the Anfield faithful will want to quickly forget after their team had 65 per cent of the possession.

    They also had eight shots on target, as against none by their opponents.

    Liverpool rarely tested visiting goalkeeper Fraser Forster even at that.

    Their best chance to score came in the 66th minute when they won a penalty kick after Southampton’s Jack Stephens was judged to have handled Lucas’ delivery.

    Milner, who had not missed from the spot in the league since November 2009, saw his effort saved by Forster who dived low to his right.

    Some seconds earlier, the England goalkeeper had approached the midfielder as he attempted to place the ball on the spot, and the tactic worked in the least.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the draw moves Liverpool up to third, above Manchester City who are on 70 point but have a game in hand.

  • Milner hails City’s response

    Milner hails City’s response

    James Milner praised Manchester City’s professionalism after they closed the gap on Chelsea – and insists he was fouled to earn the match-winning penalty against Everton.

    The midfielder was fouled by England team-mate Phil Jagielka for the penalty from which Yaya Toure netted the winner and closed the gap behind the Premier League leaders – beaten 2-1 by Newcastle earlier in the day – to three points.

    Milner says it was important to respond to Chelsea’s result and insists the referee was right to award the match-winning penalty.

    He told Sky Sports: “I played on but I think there was contact, Jags tried to stop himself as he was coming in but I think outside the box it would have been a free-kick.

    “It’s very important. We were aware of the result but all we can control is what we do on the pitch. It’s pleasing that we got the result after their result earlier on.

    “It would have been very easy to slip up after seeing that result and being happy they dropped points, and we’ve played better recently than we did today but we did our job and got the result.”

    The negative for City was an early injury to star striker Sergio Aguero and Milner said: “He’s a top player and losing him early disrupts the plans a little but I think Jose (Pozo) did a good job in the time he was on – it’s not easy replacing Sergio Aguero.”

    City manager Manuel Pellegrini explained why Pozo was chosen ahead of Edin Dzeko to replace Aguero before later giving way to the Bosnian, who has been suffering with a calf injury.

    He explained: “[Dzeko] was not able to play 70, 80 minutes. He was able to play maximum 25, 30 minutes, no more.

    “That’s why I trusted Pozo – I think he had a good game, gave a good performance. He had a shot that was a very good save from the Everton goalkeeper, but he was in more condition to play than Edin Dzeko.”