"Don't get bored of it" - James Milner reveals his special advice to 'incredible' Liverpool teammate after FA Cup final win 

It was one of the defining images of hundreds that flooded onto social media after Liverpool were crowned FA Cup winners on Saturday.

The picture in question involved James Milner, during the penalty shootout drama, deliberately turning his back to the action that was happening down the Chelsea end and instead looking directly towards the Liverpool supporters, biting their fingernails and covering their eyes as the spot-kicks took place.

To Milner's right was Kostas Tsimikas slotting home the all-important winning spot-kick; the one that brought Liverpool victory and an eighth FA Cup.

Milner, after over 800 senior games and nearly 300 for the Reds, has seen it all in his 20-year career. He would be forgiven for being a little blase about the success that continues to greet him in his mid-to-late 30s, but the versatile veteran is clearly determined to enjoy them as much as ever.

"I wanted to watch our fans’ reaction," he says of the decision to turn his back for the decisive penalty. "I had faith in Kostas, I know he’s got a wand of a left foot.

"Obviously you’re nervous, because you know there’s a good chance it could be over, but how many times do you get to play at Wembley and experience that?"

The FA Cup completes the set for Milner at Anfield, having already lifted the League Cup, Champions League, Premier League and Club World Cup, but the vice-captain, who is now 36, had a message for someone at the other end of his footballing journey at Anfield in 23-year-old Trent Alexander-Arnold.

"I said to Trent after the game: ‘Your cabinet is pretty full, but don’t get bored of it!’

"What an incredible player he is, but he’s lucky that he’s come into a team that is so good. He deserves it because of how good a player he is, but you never know when things are going to change, so you have to enjoy it while it’s here."

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Milner opens up on how it felt after winning the FA Cup final with Liverpool

So, how did it feel once the winning penalty had been dispatched past Edouard Mendy?

"Amazing!" he says. "You see everyone experiencing what you’re feeling yourself; relief, joy, everything. It’s a special group of players and a special group of people to share these things with in the dressing room after the game."

"I went into the dressing room afterwards and all the lads were straight on their phones. I was like: ‘we’ve just won the FA Cup!’

"You get 40-50 messages to deal with, it's great to see the families, the kids with the medals round their necks. It’s very special. You’re very lucky to play in any final, you’re lucky to be a footballer in the first place, and to play in finals and win 10 medals. If you said that at the start of my career, I’d have taken it."

Liverpool are back in action on Tuesday when they face Southampton away from home in the Premier League.