Milner’s Ultimate XI: The Teammates He’d Trust in Any Era

James Milner’s seen it all. Breaking through at Leeds aged just 16, the Yorkshireman grafted his way across Newcastle, Aston Villa, Manchester City and Liverpool, before bringing his leadership to Brighton in the autumn of his career. A model pro with 61 England caps and the Premier League’s second-youngest goalscorer tag to his name (he netted for Leeds at 16 years and 356 days), Milner knows a proper footballer when he sees one. Back in 2020, speaking to FourFourTwo, he pulled together his ‘Perfect XI’ of teammates — and it’s a belter.

Before we get into it, a quick nod for those who fancy a flutter: our guide to the best betting sites is worth a look — and always gamble responsibly. Right, let’s pick this side.

The Gloves: Alisson Becker

Between the sticks, Milner goes for Alisson. Hard to argue. The Brazilian arrived at Anfield and instantly raised the bar — calm, commanding, ridiculous in one‑v‑one situations and tidy with the ball. He made a top side even better, and he does it with a swagger that suggests he could just as easily be fronting a fashion campaign. As safe a pick as you’ll find.

Back Four: Trent, Woodgate, Van Dijk, Cole

Right-back is Trent Alexander-Arnold. Yes, the debate about his defending will always rumble on, but let’s have it right: few full-backs in modern football can run a game like a midfielder, ping 60-yard diagonals for fun and dictate tempo. The numbers back up his creative genius; the eye test does too.

At centre-half, Milner goes bold. Jonathan Woodgate gets the nod ahead of some glittering names — and that tells you everything about how good Woody was pre-injuries. A rolls‑royce of a defender who read the game beautifully and passed like a playmaker, he left quite the impression on a young Milner at Leeds.

Alongside him, Virgil van Dijk. When Liverpool were purring under Jürgen Klopp, the Dutchman looked like he was playing the game a second ahead of everyone else. Dominant in the air, ice-cool on the deck, and a leader who made team-mates walk taller. Peak Van Dijk was as close to unbeatable as it gets.

Left-back? Ashley Cole. Even from England duty alone, Milner saw enough to put Cole straight in. The man was relentless up and down the flank, elite defensively, and clever in possession. You can argue all you like about the greatest Premier League XI, but Cole is near-unanimous at left-back for a reason.

Midfield Trio: Silva, Gerrard, Lampard

David Silva is first on the teamsheet in midfield. When Milner and City were chasing titles, Silva was the player who took matches by the scruff: the weight of pass, the angles, the vision — and, underrated by many, a willingness to get stuck in. Pure class with a bit of needle.

Steven Gerrard sits next to him as the ultimate all-rounder. Right foot, left foot, headers, tackles, leadership — the lot. You could drop Gerrard into any role on the pitch and he’d do it to an elite standard. That’s why he finds his way into just about every teammate’s dream XI.

Rounding it off is Frank Lampard, the midfield goals machine. Lampard’s knack for arriving in the right spot at the right time was no fluke; his standards were sky-high, his engine relentless. Gerrard and Lamps in the same XI? With Silva knitting it, you’d make it work — and you’d score a hatful.

Front Three: Firmino, Agüero, Shearer

On the right, Roberto Firmino — the selfless genius of Liverpool’s great front three. The press starts with him, the combinations revolve around him, and the bloke never complains. He made stars around him shine while having the quality to decide games himself. Coaches adore players like that.

Off the left, Sergio Agüero. City’s all-time scoring icon and a Premier League great. If you’re picturing one moment, it’s stoppage time against QPR in 2012: the touch, the shift, the finish, the title. Agüero lived for those razor-thin margins — and delivered when it mattered most.

Leading the line, Alan Shearer. The gold standard. Two hundred and sixty Premier League goals don’t happen by accident. At Newcastle, where Milner shared a dressing room with the big man, Shearer’s single-minded hunger to score set him apart. Give him a sniff and start jogging back to halfway.

The Gaffer: Jürgen Klopp

In the dugout, Jürgen Klopp. Intense, authentic, and a man who turns belief into silverware. Milner was one of Klopp’s on-pitch lieutenants at Liverpool, and their standards aligned: work-rate, resilience, team-first mentality. Terry Venables, who handed Milner his Leeds debut, runs him close — but the German gets the tracksuit.

Big Names Left Out

Pick an XI from two decades of top-level football and you’re bound to upset a few. Mohamed Salah, a modern Liverpool legend who fired the Reds to the 2019 Champions League and the 2020 Premier League, doesn’t squeeze in here. Nor do Yaya Touré or David Beckham, colossal figures in their own right. It’s not a slight — just a mark of the competition.

However you shuffle it, Milner’s team blends silk and steel, flair and discipline — a side you’d fancy against anyone. And if you know Milner, you know exactly what they’d do without the ball: run, press, win it back, and go again.

Statistics reference: Transfermarkt (correct as of 03/01/2026).