When the Premier League returns on Saturday, Liverpool’s James Milner is in line to face his boyhood club, Leeds United.
In a bizarre turn of fate, should Milner play a part in the match for the champions, the 34-year-old will have appeared in each of the Yorkshire club’s last 31 top-flight matches, with 16 seasons and four clubs separating the 30th and 31st appearance.
Milner signed a new two-and-a-half-year contract with the Reds last December, extending his stay until 2022.
The reliable midfielder has become somewhat of a hero at Anfield since his arrival, his relentless work rate endearing himself to the Liverpool faithful.
Often used as a makeshift left-back, or makeshift anything, in fact, Milner has been an integral part of Klopp’s squad and their successes of the last 18 months in particular.
Despite coming through the youth system at Elland Road and spending eight years with the club, Milner only played 48 in the league for Leeds United before departing for Newcastle in 2004.
Milner did appear as a substitute against his former club the last time the teams met in 2016 with Liverpool coming out on top of a League Cup clash 2-0 at Anfield.
Saturday is bound to be a strange experience for Milner, born and raised in Leeds, he has made little secret about his allegiances in the past, however as vice-captain of the current Premier League champions, such a professional would never let loyalties get in the way of his performance.
The newly-promoted side will present a difficult challenge for Jurgen Klopp’s side, the German boss will know they have to be at their best to start their title defence well.
