Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
THE QUALITY OF MERSEY
Milner: It is an honour to be compared to some of the great Liverpool sides
JAMES MILNER believes this Liverpool side will never lose their hunger for winning trophies and breaking records.
Liverpool’s 2-1 win over Bournemouth y was their 22nd consecutive Premier League win at Anfield, which broke the previous top-tier record set by Bill Shankly’s side in 1972. And, after Manchester City’s defeat at Old Trafford on Sunday, the Reds need just two more victories to end their 30-year title drought.
Milner once said he wants this Liverpool side to win so many trophies that people will not be able to remember when they won what. And, if they add their first Premier League crown to the Champions League they won last season, the Reds will be well on their way.
The Anfield veteran, whose goalline clearance (right) against Bournemouth on Saturday proved vital, said: “You look at how amazing the teams have been through the years for Liverpool – to be mentioned on the same level as those guys and to be up there with the records is special for us.
“We want to keep creating history for this club. It’s got an amazing history anyway but we want to keep adding to that.
“The hunger is there, you can see it from the boys, and we just want to keep winning trophies and breaking as many records as we can.”
Liverpool could be crowned champions as early as Monday’s Merseyside derby against Everton at Goodison if City take fewer than four points from their games with Arsenal tomorrow and Burnley on Saturday.
But retaining the Champions League is certainly not a foregone conclusion – nor is even reaching the quarter-finals.
The Reds trail Atletico Madrid 1-0 from the last-16 first-leg tie and host the La Liga side in the return tomorrow.
Anfield is famed for memorable European comebacks – notably last season’s epic win over Barcelona – so Milner is hoping for another big night. They could be lifted by the return of Jordan Henderson following a hamstring strain.
He said: “Coming into that game off the back of a good result gives us a good feeling. It’ll be a special night so it’s down to us to turn around a tough result. “We know how good they are, how well organised they are. Hopefully we’ll push them all the way and have another special night at Anfield.”