James Milner admits he doesn't want Super League to go ahead

Liverpool vice-captain James Milner has become the latest prominent football figure to take aim at plans for a new Super League, saying he doesn't like the proposals and doesn't want them to happen.

The announcement of the new league on Monday, which is set to launch next season, set Liverpool up as the pantomime villains heading into their 1-1 draw with Leeds at Elland Road. The actual football seemed inconsequential against the backdrop of groundbreaking new plans that have sparked outrage across all levels of the sport.

The Reds will join the rest of the Premier League's top six, as well as three clubs each from Spain and Italy, as 'founding members' of a new closed-shop Super League which is set to rival the Champions League.

Milner's manager Jurgen Klopp was strong in his assessment ahead of the game, essentially throwing Liverpool's owners under the bus for not consulting him or his players in the decision to break away.

And after the game Milner, who captained his team on the night, was similarly unenthusiastic about the prospect of a Super League.

"There's a lot going on, but we just had to try and be professional and take care of the game because that's the only thing we can control," Milner told Sky Sports. "We only found out yesterday like everyone else. There's a lot of questions, but I can only tell you my personal opinion: I don't like it, and I hope it doesn't happen.

"We've been trying to focus on the game, but I can only imagine what's been said about it, and I'd agree with most of it. The players have no say, so we felt the welcome we got to the stadium tonight was a little bit unjust. We're here to play football, and there's nothing we can do about it."