Following a narrow victory over Stoke City, which was decided by Philippe Coutinho’s late long-range winner, the summer signing is not concerned about entertainment
Liverpool midfielder James Milner is happy for his team to continue winning ugly after an unconvincing start to the season.
Brendan Rodgers’s men needed a stunning 86th-minute long-range strike from Philippe Coutinho to start their campaign with a narrow 1-0 win at Stoke City on Sunday.
It was far from their most fluent display, but summer signing Milner said being able to leave the Britannia Stadium with three points was all that mattered despite a lacklustre display from most involved.
“It is always about the results. If we played rubbish every game of the season and won every one of them then everybody would be happy with that,” he said.
“Ultimately it is about getting that win whether it is a game where we can move the ball about or whether it is a game where it is a battle and we have to grind it out.
“You have to assess the situation and be able to adapt to those games and play in all these different formations and against different sides.
“A top team can adapt and win the games when things maybe aren’t playing to your strengths.”
Milner, who was on the wrong end of one of Coutinho’s long-range strikes when Manchester City lost 2-1 at Anfield in March, was full of praise for the Brazilian following another memorable winner.
“I think he is going to keep improving all the time. I saw him do that a few times last year, so it was nice to have him do that while I was on the field and on his side,” Milner said.
“He has got that quality and we know we have quality all over the field.”