Liverpool midfielder James Milner has had a disappointing season so far but he made up for it with an impressive performance against Manchester City.
The 36-year-old has been criticised for performances with Liverpool in recent weeks but he managed to silence his critics with a flawless display against Manchester City at Anfield on Sunday.
The home side picked up a 1-0 win at Anfield and their defensive performance was crucial to the result.
Milner was handed a start as Liverpool’s right-back in the absence of Trent Alexander-Arnold and the Liverpool vice-captain produced one of his finest performances in a red shirt.
He was rock solid at the back and dealt with the likes of Phil Foden and Bernardo Silva with ease.
The 36-year-old also linked up well with Mohamed Salah and Harvey Elliott going forward and created a few opportunities for his side with well-drilled crosses.
There is no doubt that Liverpool need to bring in a quality alternative to Alexander-Arnold as soon as possible, but Milner has shown that he is more than capable of operating at the highest level regardless of his age and regression.
Klopp has huge smile on his face as he speaks about James Milner.
"The way James Milner played was absolutely unbelievable, just incredible."
Yup#LFC
— David Maddock (@MaddockMirror) October 16, 2022
BBC pundit Garth Crooks has now reflected on the midfielder’s performance against Manchester City. Crooks claimed that Milner produced an extraordinary performance and remains an exceptional professional.
He said to BBC: “His performance against his former club in Sunday’s 1-0 win at Anfield was extraordinary.
“Milner is unflappable, dependable and above all an exceptional professional, and I’m not in the least bit surprised Jurgen Klopp refuses to let him out of his sights. Professionals like Milner only come around once in a generation and it is to Liverpool’s credit they have retained his services.”