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Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
Sport
Mark Wakefield & Stephen Killen

'This idea' - Roy Keane and Micah Richards argue over Liverpool player after Man City win

Roy Keane and Micah Richards disagreed over the amount of praise to give James Milner following Liverpool’s win over Manchester City.

The Reds claimed a dramatic 1-0 victory over Man City in the Premier League clash at Anfield on Sunday afternoon. Mohamed Salah scored the only goal of the game in the second half to hand the Reds a much needed win at Anfield.

It was a first win in the top flight for Liverpool since the end of August. Next up for the Reds is another home clash in midweek, this time welcoming West Ham to Anfield.

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Milner was deployed at right-back in Liverpool’s defence, with Joe Gomez moving back to centre-half to partner Virgil van Dijk. The veteran midfielder was tasked with keeping the likes of Phil Foden quiet in the game, and Richards was full of praise for the Reds vice-captain.

“Milner was excellent today,” Richards told Sky Sports. “We talked about with Foden, the form he’s been in.

“In the Manchester derby he (Foden) was excellent, I thought he would run Milner ragged but Milner was brilliant.

“His (Milner) positioning, to press, when to keep it simple, leader, talking. To come into this game, I don’t know when his last 90 minutes [was], against Man City his former club.”

Keane responded by disagreeing with the praise that Richards handed out to Milner. The former Manchester United captain did not believe that Milner had “done something extraordinary”.

“It’s the easiest part of the game, Micah, defend,” responded Keane. “Defending against somebody, he’s an experienced player, that’s what you’re supposed to get.

“They've not played for a number of weeks, Foden was still a threat. This idea [that] Milner has done something extraordinary…”

Richards replied: "He’s a centre midfielder playing right-back against one of the most in-form players.

Before Keane added: "Has he played right-back before?

Richards concluded the debate by saying: “Of course he has. It’s not his natural position, I thought he was excellent.”

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