When James Milner joined Liverpool in 2015, it was a difficult period in the club’s modern history, with legends departing, a squad in turmoil and a manager losing his touch. There is little doubt that at the time, leaving Manchester City for Merseyside seemed like a step backwards.
11 years on, Milner hung up his boots to call an end to a 24-year career which spanned across some of the biggest clubs in England, where his role at the Reds changed their fortunes for over a decade. The midfielder established himself as a core member of the leadership group as the team won major accolades during his eight-year stint.
His former club were the biggest challenge to the Anfield outfit during his time, with the goliaths going head to head for the league title on more than one occasion, which will be looked back upon fondly for the quality the Premier League possessed for years to come.
Milner decision to join Liverpool
The veteran midfielder was part of the City side that pipped the Reds to the league title in 2013/14, which left Kopites heartbroken; however, they failed to defend their title the following campaign, with Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea reaching the summit. The Cityzens’ transfer policy was strict, and with a 29-year-old Milner’s deal at the Etihad coming to a close, it was decided we would be let go.
In search of a new place to call home, Anfield became the ultimate destination, with Milner stating that there were similarities between the two clubs that convinced him to make the move across the M62.
On the Rest is Football podcast, he said, ” Liverpool came on, obviously an incredible football club, and it was a similar feeling when I went to City. Amazing club, not won too many trophies in recent history, we obviously pipped them to the title the second time with City. It felt if you can go to Liverpool and win a league title, their first Premier League.”
At the time, Brendan Rodgers was the boss in the dugout. After the failures of the 2014/15 season, supporters wondered what the long-term goal was for the Northern Irish manager. However, the toughest test the team faced was losing one of the greatest players who represented the club, as Milner admitted there weren’t close to competing at the time.
“They were a long way off what they went on to achieve at the point you come in. They came close to winning the league title, but a few years after, they struggled a bit, and Stevie (Gerrard) had just gone, and you know what Stevie was like as a player.”
By the 4th October, they had won just three games, so Fenway Sports Group made the decision to sack Rodgers; in his place was Jurgen Klopp, who took the Reds to the greatest of heights. By May, the English midfielder had been on the losing side of the League Cup and Europa League final, though the signs were there that this journey was ready to take off; the problem they faced was a juggernaut in the other corner in their fight.
The CityPool Era
In the summer of 2016, Pep Guardiola joined Man City, a turning point in Premier League history, as within two years he broke a record, becoming the first English side to reach 100 points as they blitzed the league. However, as they strode towards an invincible record, Liverpool stopped them in their tracks with a 4-3 win at Anfield. From that evening in January, the writing was cast to see one of the greatest rivalries in English football commence.
The following year, the Reds finished runners-up to the Spaniards’ side despite losing just one game all year and ending on 97 points; however, it would take one more year for their 30-year hurt to end, as the Premier League made its return to Merseyside. Milner claims that if it weren’t for European success in 2019, City’s ruthless nature could have ended their dreams.
“The year we won the Champions League, we lost the league on 97 points. I mean, 30 wins, seven draws and one defeat, and you don’t get anything for it. I believe if we hadn’t won the Champions League, I think it’s pretty hard for that team to come back and go again with nothing for it, to keep that intensity.”
Arguably, two of the most important moments of the title-winning season were games against high-flying Leicester City. The match at Anfield was won thanks to a last-minute penalty from their vice captain, and another penalty away from home on Boxing Day planted the seed that it could perhaps be the year they do it.
As the 40-year-old takes his steps away from the pitch, he will forever be remembered by both sets of supporters for the memories he gave them, with his standards being key in both teams success over the years.
