James Milner Hopes Liverpool Can Thrive on Expectation & Finally End Trophy Drought

James Milner has refused to downplay Liverpool's expectations for the season, claiming that the Reds should be winning trophies now with the squad they have assembled.

Jurgen Klopp's side endured heartbreak in last season's Champions League final, losing to Real Madrid in Kiev, and they remain without a trophy since lifting the League Cup in 2012.

Klopp has strengthened his ranks with four new signings this summer and no major losses, and Milner believes that high expectations should be the norm at a club of Liverpool's magnitude.

"Expectations should be high," the 32-year-old said, as quoted by ESPN. "We're at Liverpool. It's a massive club where expectations are always high because there is a great history of winning things here.

"We are expected to win every single game, no matter who we are playing against when we step on to the field, so it's up to us to be big enough to accept that responsibility and embrace the pressure.

"I've been here for three years now and in that time we've been to three finals and come so close to winning silverware. You can see the progression of the team since the manager has been here. We are capable of beating anyone.

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"The team has evolved and we're moving forward all the time but I think it is time we got over the line and won a piece of silverware. That's putting pressure on ourselves but that is what's expected at this football club.

"It's something that we are more than ready to do, but getting that first trophy is always the hardest. If we can get that first trophy it will hopefully set up better things to come."

Liverpool beat West Ham 4-0 in their first match of the season and next travel to Crystal Palace on Monday.