This article is part of Football FanCast's Opinion series, which provides analysis, insight and opinion on any issue within the beautiful game, from Paul Pogba's haircuts to League Two relegation battles...

Liverpool have relied on several stars over the past 18 months in their various pursuits of glory.

Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah, for example, have been fantastic in front of goal. Last term, they bagged 68 strikes between them in all competitions, whilst the Senegal and Egypt international even shared the Premier League Golden Boot, along with Arsenal's Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, in the previous campaign. Virgil van Dijk, too, has earned himself a lot of headlines, and even finished second in the Ballon d'Or rankings for 2019.

Whilst those players deserve all the credit they receive, the unsung heroes in the squad also merit praise for the way they have contributed to Jurgen Klopp's team. Such as James Milner, for example. Under the former Borussia Dortmund manager, the 33-year-old has made 187 appearances, scoring 24 goals and providing an impressive 38 assists. Not only that, he has played in a variety of different positions for his boss, including left-back, central midfield and at right-back, showing his versatility and commitment to the cause.

In a recent interview with The Guardian, Liverpool's assistant manager Pep Lijnders shared an anecdote illustrating how the 61-time former England international has inspired him.

He explained: "The five-v-two rondo is a good example. It’s actually called Milly’s rondo now, after I got inspired by James Milner, because he always intercepted the ball within the first few passes. He was really quick and brought the focus of the rondo to another level.

"I was like: ‘How can I come up with a rule that everyone will execute with his kind of intensity?’ So I gave an extra incentive for the two players in the middle if they would intervene within the first six passes. So I told Milly: ‘This is your idea!’ The other players loved it."

Often under-appreciated by portions of the club's fanbase, this shows just how important Milner is to the Liverpool squad. He is the model professional, and has the strongest desire to win even in the twilight of his career. What would Klopp do without him?

We may soon find out the answer. The former Leeds man's contract is up at the end of this current campaign, meaning that he could talk with other clubs as early as January. Whilst he is not getting any younger, his experience and work-rate can still be an inspiration for his teammates just like it is for the coaching staff. Klopp's concentration will likely be 100% focused on the title race, but those in the higher positions should be looking to get Milner tied down to a new deal as soon as possible.

In other news, Stephen Warnock says Liverpool could miss out on signing world star because of his Ballon d'Or aspirations.