Wijnaldum: Milner Has a Huge Impact on How Liverpool Performs

The Dutch player likens his teammate to a player-manager.

James Milner will not be available for Liverpool’s game this Wednesday against Leicester City after he was shown two yellow cards during the Reds’ 4-3 victory over Crystal Palace last week. The 33-year old saw his second yellow after he tackled Wilfried Zaha in a game that couldn’t end soon enough. Even though the vice-captain’s challenge meant a few heart-stopping moments for the Reds, as well as a difficult game on Wednesday, his teammates believe he’ll still play a huge role against Leicester.

“It’s not only his quality that he has shown this season but also the way he treats everyone, the way he tries to help the team; even if he’s not training or playing, he always tries to help the team stay sharp and be aware of everything that can happen,” Gini Wijnaldum told Premier League Productions. “He is a manager in the form of a player!”

“He was quite unlucky when he got injured [in December] but even then before games he came into the dressing room and spoke with the players, trying to keep them sharp,” the Dutch midfielder added. “So he was always involved, even when he was not in the 18. He was still part of the team. He would try to help the players on training days and everything.

“He has a big impact on how we perform right now.”

With the Reds missing Milner, who filled in at full-back against Crystal Palace, all eyes will be on the less-than-stellar options Liverpool have in defense, with both Alexander-Arnold and Gomez out with injuries. Fingers crossed for a very, very speedy recovery for them both.

Source: liverpooloffside.sbnation.com