DON’T BLOW ITALIAN JOB

It’s ours to lose now raps James

JAMES MILNER admits if Liverpool cannot produce another special European night at Anfield then they don’t deserve to progress to the Champions League knockout stage.

The Reds need a win against Napoli to stand any chance of going through. And if Paris St-Germain beat Red Star in Belgrade, Jurgen Klopp’s side need to beat the Italians 1-0 or by two goals or more on December 11.

Milner said: “To have the last game at home, if you don’t get the win, you don’t deserve to go through.

“Our aim is to get out of the group, get the result and get through.

“If we don’t do that, we don’t deserve to be in the Champions League and we will take whatever happens from there – Europa League or whatever.

“At this moment we’re just focused on getting through the group.”

Milner knows that the performance in the 2-1 defeat to PSG on Wednesday asks some serious questions about the Reds.

But the veteran is confident his teammates will answer them.

Finish

The 32-year-old, who scored a penalty against the French side, said: “I don’t think it’s crossed anyone’s mind we’ll end up in the Europa League.

“It is in our hands, and I don’t think you can ask for more. You don’t see the lads panicking, we are comfortable we can finish the job at home.” At least there’s no time to obsess about their form, or their lack of goal threat away from home in Europe, because it is Everton next up at Anfield on Sunday. And Milner feels the Merseyside derby is the perfect game to get back to winning ways.

“It is what the best teams do, bounce back,” he said.

“We have a big game at the weekend so that helps. As players we should be able to bounce back either way, but it is a nice game, they are always great games to play in, derbies. “They are on an OK run as well, so it’s going to be a tough game.”

There are still frustrations, though, from the entire Liverpool side about a subdued display in Paris, where they simply didn’t get to grips with PSG.

And Milner admitted while it is not an excuse, there was equal annoyance with Neymar’s ridiculous antics.

On the Brazilian’s theatrics, Milner added: “If you are surprised by that, you are a bit foolish. As a player you just can’t do anything about it, can you? “It’s in the referee’s hands if he thinks it is a foul. You know in Europe decisions are probably given slightly easier than in the Premier League.

“But that is part of European football. I am used to that now.”