'All still Leeds fans': James Milner on his Leeds United feeling, Whites supporters and Liverpool vow

Leeds-born Milner came through the Whites Academy as a youngster and eventually made his debut for his boyhood team in the Premier League fixture against West Ham United of November 2002. The talented midfielder was sold to Newcastle United following the club’s relegation from the country’s top division in July 2004 but Milner and Leeds will meet again in Saturday night’s Premier League clash at Anfield. Milner has already faced the Whites four times for either Liverpool or former club Manchester City but the feelings will never go away although the 36-year-old insists that will have no relevance once play is underway on Saturday night.

"It's always slightly strange in the build up,” said Milner of Leeds, speaking to Sky Sports. "Obviously you get asked things and stuff but once the game starts and the whistle is blown it’s like any other game. Obviously you are trying to do the best for your team but the things around the game before and after obviously it's weird because obviously the family are all still Leeds fans and I have a lot of friends who are Leeds fans and obviously I grew up following Leeds and played for them. It's always slightly strange and they obviously mean a lot to me but you know always prepare as well as you can and once that whistle goes it doesn't matter who you are playing against.

"It's an important game, as they all are. Obviously our start to the season hasn't been as good as we would have liked, a couple of good performances recently followed up with a not so good one."So it's important that we try and get back on that winning train as soon as possible. "Obviously with the Champions League games in between, it's something that you have to focus on first and obviously it doesn't give you the full week to focus on that game so you don't have too long and then obviously how you perform and the feeling you get from the midweek game can then obviously impact into the weekend."