When a 16-year-old James Milner netted his first Premier League aim for Leeds in opposition to Sunderland in 2002, he in all probability wouldn’t have anticipated to be scoring one other within the prime flight 23 years later.
In changing from the penalty spot on the age of 39 years and 239 days in Brighton’s 2-1 win in opposition to his former membership Manchester Metropolis, he turned the Premier League’s second-oldest goalscorer, including to the feat of being the second youngest when aged 16 years and 356 days.
Requested concerning the spot-kick that cancelled out Erling Haaland’s opener and sparked Brighton’s comeback success, Milner advised Sky Sports activities “it isn’t the simplest factor, however my expertise helped”.
That highlights a standout side of his profession and character. With 640 Premier League appearances, few can compete together with his degree of involvement within the prime flight.
His aim ended a six-year drought, again to when he netted for Liverpool at Leicester Metropolis in 2019, but the hole of 2075 days is simply the fiftieth longest within the Premier League.
Milner’s former Metropolis and England team-mate Joe Hart mentioned the versatile participant – who turns 40 in January and might play at full-back or midfield – “nonetheless seems to be match and contemporary”.
Such is the longevity of Milner’s profession, he has now scored within the Premier League in opposition to goalkeepers born within the Sixties, Nineteen Seventies, Nineties and 2000s.
“An absolute legend of the sport,” is how he was described by former Chelsea stopper Mark Schwarzer.
“His longevity, his health and he got here on at the moment and scored a wonderful penalty. Once you want these skilled gamers to step up in moments he does, he was by no means going to shrink back from it,” added the Australian on BBC Radio 5 Reside.
