Liverpool favourite James Milner feels fitter than ever… but Virgil van Dijk still gives him ‘plenty of stick’ for being an ‘old man’

Liverpool’s Mr Reliable, James Milner, has told talkSPORT he is feeling as fit as ever and has no plans to slow down his career just yet.

That is despite the constant ribbing from his team-mates over his, ehm, more advanced years – ‘Virgil gives me plenty of stick!’

The 33-year-old midfielder has proven to be one of the best free transfers in Premier League history. Like a fine wine, he seems to be getting better with age.

getty 2 James Milner is still producing match-winning performances for Liverpool

Milner decided to leave Manchester City, where he won two Premier League titles, for Anfield as he felt he had a better chance to win the Champions League with the Reds.

And of course, that’s just what he did last season, lifting the European Cup in Madrid and breaking the record for Champions League assists in one season in the process.

Recently, however, there have been questions over his future. Milner’s contract expires at the end of this season and there has been no news yet over whether he will pen an extension, despite calls from fans to keep him.

He has even been linked with a return to boyhood club Leeds United, where many have suggested he could end his career after a long and successful one in the Premier League.

But Milner has suggested that time is not now.

“To be honest I feel fine, I feel the same,” he said on Friday’s Sports Breakfast.

“I’m waiting for that day when we do a session and I feel it a bit harder than the boys.

Getty Images - Getty 2 James Milner has become a mentor and role model for the young players at Liverpool

“It’s always nice when I’m asking the young lads if I’m finding a hard session tough and they’re agreeing with me. I don’t know, they might be doing that just to make me feel better!

“Virgil gives me plenty of stick – that’s what one of the celebrations last season was about [his ‘old man’ celebration after scoring against Cardiff back in April].

“He’s always joking. When there’s Premiership Years or a game in black and white on the TV in the treatment room, he’ll say, ‘Milly, what number are you?’

“It’s good fun, but I feel really good at the moment. I feel no different to how I have been.

“I’ll keep working hard, keep pushing and keep contributing as long as I can.”

Milner’s professionalism behind the scenes will come as a surprise to no one.

The 33-year-old lives a clean life, which he admits has only contributed to the ‘Boring James Milner’ parody on social media.

He is teetotal, keeps to a strict diet, and even enlisted the help of an expert to help him sleep better, for crying out loud.

He’s done everything possible to keep himself in the best shape as his career approaches the latter stages, and it’s paying off. His engine shows no sign of sputtering out any time soon, and he still comes out on top of Liverpool’s annual pre-season fitness tests.

“I’ve always tried to look after myself as well as I can in the gym and with eating and drinking,” he added to talkSPORT.

“I’ve never touched alcohol. I don’t have anything against it but early on I made that decision.

“And making sure I don’t have too much Ribena as well, that’s important!”

Listen to talkSPORT’s interview with James Milner, as he discusses his Leeds United days, Jurgen Klopp and more, IN FULL above!