"He’s a criminally underrated player" - Trent Alexander-Arnold heaps praise on Liverpool star

Liverpool star Trent Alexander-Arnold has waxed lyrical about Reds teammate James Milner as the midfielder puts an end to his spell at Anfield.

The Anfield outfit announced this week that Milner will be one of four players that will leave the club when their contract ends in June. Roberto Firmino, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain have also been confirmed to depart.

Milner has been a regular for Liverpool since joining them from Manchester City for free in 2015, bagging 26 goals and 46 assists in 330 games across competitions. He has helped the club win seven trophies, including the Premier League and the UEFA Champions League.

After a fruitful eight-year stint with the Merseyside-based club, the midfielder is now set to bid adieu. The Reds' penultimate Premier League clash against Aston Villa on Saturday (May 20) will be Milner's final home game at Anfield.

As Milner prepared to depart, Alexander-Arnold said that the veteran does not receive the credit he deserves. The Liverpool right-back lauded the 37-year-old's technical ability and hailed him as one of the best players he has played with.

"He's (Milner) a criminally underrated player," Alexander-Arnold told The Athletic. "Some think of him as just a workhorse who will do his job. But, technically, James Milner is among the best I’ve ever played with.

"Then there’s everything else he brings to the squad with his leadership. He’s truly relentless in everything he does. I’ll definitely never play with anyone like him again. That’s probably the biggest compliment I can give him."

Alexander-Arnold added that filling the void that would be left by Milner will not be an easy task for Liverpool.

"We will all need to fill that big gap," Alexander-Arnold added. "I don’t think it’s just down to a single person. All of us need to step up and ensure that we maintain the standards that Millie has set for the past eight years here."

Brighton & Hove Albion are reportedly leading the race to sign Milner on a free transfer, although his former club Leeds United are also in the mix.

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How did James Milner fare in his last start for Liverpool?

James Milner has played 41 games across competitions for Liverpool this season. However, 31 of those appearances have come off the bench. His last start in the Premier League came in the Reds' goalless draw against Crystal Palace in February.

The midfielder's last start across competitions, meanwhile, came in the second leg of the Anfield outfit's Round of 16 UEFA Champions League clash against Real Madrid in March. He was on the pitch for 73 minutes that game, but could not prevent his team from succumbing to a 1-0 defeat and suffering a 6-2 loss on aggregate.

Milner won four of the six duels he attempted that day and made two tackles. Furthermore, he made two clearances and one block and interception each. The veteran had a total of 62 touches and completed 39 of the 43 passes he played.

The Englishman has come off the bench in each of Liverpool's past seven Premier League games, all of which they have won. It remains to be seen how many minutes he plays against Aston Villa on Saturday (May 20).