WATCH: James Milner’s first touch had the football world swooning

Paul Moore

Exquisite.

It’s fair to say that most football fans were watching the events in Naples – that Man City game was breathtaking- or Wembley as Spurs demolished Real Madrid. This being said, the five-time European Cup winners Liverpool took a big step towards qualification by beating Maribor 3-0.

Given the fact that Klopp’s men absolutely slaughtered the Slovenian club in their previous meeting, the result at Anfield was something of an inevitability.

Still, the crowd had to wait for the breakthrough to come as the Reds couldn’t break the deficit during the first-half.

The opening goal arrived shortly after the restart though as Mohamed Salah swept in Trent Alexander-Arnold’s whipped cross. Despite the fact that Milder missed from the penalty-spot, the deciding goal arrived in the 64th minute and it was an absolute peach.

Last season, Klopp deployed the former Man City and Aston Villa player as a makeshift full-back, but after seeing this goal, you would swear that the former England international was a playmaker.

As Emre Can drifted in from the left, the German international played a lovely one-two with Milner before slotting the ball past Handanovic in the Maribor goal.

Can’s strike was good, but it’s the weight of Milner’s layoff that really made the goal. You have to love how Milner opens his body up before laying the ball into space for his teammate to double Liverpool’s lead.

Throughout his career, we’ve always seen him as a competitive, professional and superb team player. It’s not often that you see glimpses of this technical brilliance though.

Daniel Sturridge’s late goal wrapped up the win as Liverpool now sit at the top of the group but Milner’s assist has taken the headlines and deservedly so, it’s a beaut.

Brilliant brilliant goal, lovely set by Milner, superb placed finish by Can. 2-0. https://t.co/3xjeIb2tVV

— Mootaz Chehade (@MHChehade) November 1, 2017