Milner will celebrate his 33rd birthday top of the Premier League

Whatever happens at the Etihad between Liverpool and his old club Manchester City, James Milner will wake up on Friday morning to celebrate his 33rd birthday on top of the Premier League.

Turning another year older is unlikely to worry Milner. It has felt as though he is only getting better with age for some time now.

He was 29 when he took a pay cut to join Liverpool on a free transfer in the summer of 2015, and few people could have predicted the impact he would have in the three-and-a-half years since then.

Some wrote Milner off as a journeyman midfielder who would be little more than a squad player at Anfield, yet he has proved to be one of the most inspired signings of the Premier League era.

Having played a key role in Liverpool's run to the Champions League final last season, Milner is now powering Jurgen Klopp's side towards their first title in 29 years.

Victory over City on his old stomping ground at the Etihad on Thursday night would give Liverpool a commanding 10-point lead over the champions, with second-placed Tottenham nine points behind.

Even a draw in the Premier League's match of the season would leave Liverpool as hot favourites.

Landing the third title of his career would be rich reward for Milner's gamble in turning down a new £165,000-a-week contract at City, where he had become a utility player, to seek more first-team opportunities as a central midfielder at Liverpool.

'I'd like to think you will see the best of me now I am in the central role,' he said at the time.

'It wasn't a big problem when I was at City and playing in different positions – the team will always come first and that's definitely the way I believe it should be.

'I think the move to come to Liverpool and play where I want to play was more of a selfish move and hopefully, I can contribute to the success here.

'I could have easily stayed at City and been there another four or five years, being around the club, helping us win things. But over the next few years I wouldn't have played as much and my game time would have reduced.'

Milner has been proved right, even though he didn't get off to the best start in his preferred position as he struggled to impress under Brendan Rodgers.

His successor Klopp took advantage of Milner's versatility to play him at left-back for the 2016-17 season until Liverpool signed another bargain in Hull's Andrew Robertson.

As recently as last month, Milner started at right-back against Bournemouth on his 500th Premier League appearance and, typically, did a solid job for the team.

But it is in central midfield where he has flourished for Klopp's Liverpool over the past 18 months, continuing to defy the odds and show that age is no barrier.

In pre-season for the last two summers, he has beaten his younger teammates in endurance tests, and continued to meet the demands of Klopp's high-intensity game.

Milner's physicality and tenacity are vital on the right side of a three-man midfield three to give Liverpool the confidence to go forward, knowing that he is on hand to stop their opponents countering if the attack breaks down.

Equally, Milner has the tactical nous to drop in at right-back on the occasions that Trent Alexander-Arnold goes on the overlap.

As well as defensive stability, the former Leeds, Newcastle and Aston Villa man offers a threat of his own going forward.

His total of nine assists as Liverpool progressed to the Champions League final against Real Madrid in Kiev last season was the highest in the history of the competition. He already has five goals to name this term.

When Liverpool signed Naby Keita and Fabinho last summer, it was widely expected that Milner would be the man to make way.

Instead, his 18 starts in all competitions are almost double the 20 made by both new signings combined as he has continued to play a major role in Klopp's success.

It will end in title glory in May if Liverpool can overcome City and their other challengers over the course of the next four months.

Thursday's titanic clash at the Etihad could go a long way to deciding it, and Liverpool will be happy that Milner is on their side now.