‘It won’t be
Milner urges Reds to
LIVERPOOL will not defend their Premier League title unless they improve. That’s the opinion of Anfield hero James Milner, who thinks it would be criminal for his colleagues to lose focus. Liverpool were a dominant force as they claimed their first League title in 30 years.
The Reds lost just three top-flight fixtures all season and ended the campaign with 99 points – just one behind the all-time record set by Manchester City in 2017-18.
But Milner, who now boasts three Premier League winners’ medals, has warned his side not to rest on their laurels.
And although he’s urged his teammates to enjoy their rewards – he wants everyone to remain focused with the new season set to get underway on Sept 12.
“I think it’s getting that balance right,” Milner told Liverpool’s official website.
“We have to enjoy it because we know how hard it is to win trophies, we’ve been very good to do it but also lucky to win the amount of trophies we have had this year.
“Trent Alexander-Arnold thinks it’s absolutely easy! He just turns up and wins trophies every year!
“But I can assure you, with the amount of years I’ve had in my career, it’s not that easy.
“The amount of training sessions in the rain, the times when you’re injured and that sick feeling you get when you lose a game or even a five-a-side at Melwood.
“We’re shocking losers, all of us. When you win doubt on his participation for Sunday's (3am) Champions League tie against Barcelona. Captain Insigne, who scored a penalty in the 54th minute, limped off in tears during the final minutes of Saturday’s game at the San Paolo stadium. Napoli, who drew 1-1 in the home leg of the last-16 tie in February before the Covid-19 pandemic suspended the Champions League, did not mention if the 29-year-old would miss the second leg. “Lorenzo Insigne has undergone tests that have confirmed that he has suffered tendon damage to the adductor longus muscle in his left thigh, in addition to bone bruising,” Lazio said in a statement. “Insigne will be closely monitored over the coming days.”The Italian has registered 12 goals and eight assists in all competitions this season. Napoli finished seventh in the league but qualified for the Europa League after winning the Coppa Italia. international said he has had similar experiences for the last 15 years. “The last time, last week, when I’d just been at my mum’s house, I had pulled up in a car park so the engine was off,” he told the Second Captains podcast. “The police pulled in and they brought a riot van, three police cars and questioned me. They said they’d had a report that a car had not been driving correctly. I’m like: ‘So why does that make it my car?’ I got my ID out and they breathalysed me. It’s just one of those things to me now. Each time it’s: ‘Is this car stolen? Where did you get it from? Can you prove that you bought this car.’” Rose said such incidents had made him sceptical about the prospects of lasting change. “I just give up with hoping that things will change because that’s some people’s mentality towards racism.”