Every position James Milner has played in the Premier League – and which has been his best

What was that? Boring, boring Milner?

Well, it will come as a surprise to many that, due to his immense versatility, James Milner is actually one of the most interesting footballers in the Premier League and, with his constant switching of positions to suit the team, knows all about variety being the spice of life.

Upon making his breakthrough for Leeds at the age of just 16-years and 309-days, at the time becoming the Premier League’s second-youngest ever-player, Milner was a bright-eyed, tricky winger, intent on beating full-backs and whipping in devastating crosses.

However, as his career has progressed and the quality of his teammates has increased, Milner has traversed a whole host of positions and squad roles, even being spotted as a centre-forward – although that didn’t develop into a permanent assignment.

James Milner now has as many assists in the Premier League as David Beckham (80) – Wayne Rooney (103), Frank Lampard (102) and Steven Gerrard (92) are the only Englishmen to record more assists in the competition than him.

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At Squawka, we’ve taken a look at the positions that this model of versatility and team-work has popped up in as his career has progressed, as well as deciphering in which of those roles Milner has performed best.

Fasten your seatbelts!

6. No.10

(Photo by Warren Little/Getty Images)

His industrious, box-to-box nature, coupled with playing alongside the likes of David Silva and Philippe Coutinho, has meant that James Milner has rarely been deployed as a number 10.

However, his good passing range and eye for a shot have seen him deployed there on occasion and Milner did experience some joy in such a role while playing in a talented midfield for Aston Villa in 2008 and 2010, picking up 21 assists and 12 goals in the Premier League for the Villains in that time.

But, with the likes of Gareth Barry, Steve Sidwell and Stylian Petrov often taking up the central areas, Milner found himself switched back to the right-hand side more often than not.

5. No.6 role

(Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)

Most of Milner’s central midfield exploits for Manchester City came in a more reserved, defensive role – hardly surprising with David Silva pulling the strings ahead of him.

Milner, with his tough tackling and simple distribution of the ball, is a fully capable number six. In fact, the only reason we don’t see him play this role more often for Liverpool is that of club-captain Jordan Henderson occupying that role.

That is by no means a criticism of Milner, it is just that his massive engine allows him to be much more effective when bursting further up the pitch.

4. Left-wing

(Photo credit PAUL ELLIS/AFP/Getty Images)

More naturally a right-winger when he first broke through at Leeds, Milner has still been deployed on the left plenty of times during his career.

His most notable stint in this position was during Manchester City’s 2013-14 title-winning campaign and, despite arguably being the least-successful of Milner’s primary roles, his work ethic and attitude have always made him a worthy deputy in the wide-left role.

More of a wide midfielder than an out-and-out winger, his defensive capabilities shielded his full-backs well, giving them licence to go forward, while his brilliant technique still allowed him to cut in and deliver in-swinging crosses.

3. Left-back

(Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)

On the face of it, this would seem like the most unnatural role for James Milner to play, considering he is a central-midfielder that broke through as a right-winger.

However, the 32-year-old spent most of the 2016-17 season playing there for Liverpool and carried out the role with a great level of consistency, even popping up with seven Premier League goals in that campaign as the Reds finished fourth – Milner also made more tackles than any other Liverpool player that season (94).

Milner had totally usurped natural left-back Alberto Moreno in that season and only moved back into the midfield with the emergence of bargain-signing Andrew Robertson last term.

2. Right-wing

(Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images)

One of Milner’s strongest positions is, unsurprisingly, the one he was playing when he first had his big footballing break: right-wing.

Milner still takes a lot of set-pieces for Liverpool to this day and, when first making his name at Leeds United, his crossing ability made him the perfect winger to provide the bullets for the likes of Mark Viduka and Alan Smith in the middle. Milner was also a consistent performer on the right during his Newcastle United and Aston Villa days.

The ex-England international’s delivery has seen him clock up 80 Premier League assists over his career – more than Paul Scholes and as many as right-midfield legend, David Beckham – while the defensive capabilities he has developed make him a dream for any full-back to play alongside.

1. No.8 role

(Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)

This has been James Milner’s main role at Liverpool since the start of last season, and one he has played many times before during the course of his career.

Despite wearing a number more closely associated with the previous role highlighted, Milner has absolutely flourished in this box-to-box role and, in Liverpool’s away-leg win over Manchester City in the Champions League last season, he ran a remarkable 13.53km, with the next-closest runner being Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain with 11.66km.

That is just the tip of the iceberg, though, with Milner also thriving when he gets up the pitch. Since the start of last season, Milner has created 44 chances for Liverpool, with only their famous front-three creating more.

Even at 32-years-old, he has found himself to be a real pillar of consistency in the middle for the Reds over the past 12 months, becoming one of Jurgen Klopp’s most trusted generals on the battlefield as Liverpool reached the Champions League final last season, and kicked off a strong title charge this season.

In his current role, Milner is combining all the experience and skill he has developed in every other role and unleashing it all at once to produce some of the best football of his career.

If only he hadn’t retired from international football…

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