"People joke that I only did it because he didn't do his homework," says former Premier League referee Jon Moss about the time he sent off James Milner. Twenty-four years after making his debut, Milner, 40, will equal the record for most Premier League appearances if he features for Brighton against Crystal Palace on Sunday. A stellar career spanning more than two decades, six top-flight clubs, 652 Premier League appearances, 61 England caps, three Premier League titles, two FA Cups and one Champions League triumph has also delivered some unexpected moments. "People say I'm the only teacher to send off one of his pupils in a Premier League game. Alan Shearer, who played with Milner at Newcastle, describes him as a model professional and a "manager's dream".

Source: BBC February 06, 2026 10:04 UTC