Any manager would “take 11 James Milners” in their side, says Martin O’Neill, with the former Aston Villa boss billing the Liverpool star as an “identikit pro”.
It remains to be seen whether the 34-year-old will figure again for his current club in the 2019-20 campaign, with an unfortunate injury forcing him out of the Merseyside derby on Sunday.
Jurgen Klopp is hoping that Milner will not be sidelined for long, with his versatility proving to be a useful weapon in the Reds’ armoury.
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That has been the case wherever a seasoned performer has gone, with Villa, Newcastle and Manchester City among the others to have benefited from the presence of a model professional.