James Milner paid tribute to his former Liverpool colleague Diogo Jota by emulating his goal celebration after scoring the equaliser against Manchester City in a Premier League clash on Sunday. Milner inspired a comeback for the Seagulls as he netted from the penalty spot to restore parity before Brajan Gruda scored a late winner and sealed three crucial points.
Milner paid tribute to Jota with goal celebrationScored the equaliser against Man CityBrighton beat Man City 2-1Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
Milner, who played for three seasons alongside Jota at Anfield, paid an emotional tribute to the Portuguese after scoring against City. The veteran midfielder performed Jota's iconic video gaming celebration to honour his late former team-mate. Jota and his brother Andre Silva tragically passed away in a car accident in Spain back in July.
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Before the start of the 2025-26 campaign, Milner chose to change his Brighton shirt number to No.20 for the new season in tribute to Jota. The Portuguese forward wore the jersey with distinction at Anfield and Liverpool have since retired his number as a mark of respect following his death.
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Erling Haaland had handed City a first-half lead but Milner scored the equaliser in the 67th minute from the penalty spot. Brajan Gruda then scored a late winner as Pep Guardiola's suffered their second consecutive league defeat.
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The Cityzens will next face rivals Manchester United in a crucial Premier League clash after the international break on September 14.