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James Milner admits he is still "bitter" about the League Cup final against Manchester United in 2010.

Milner scored from the penalty spot to give Aston Villa the lead but goals from Wayne Rooney and Michael Owen saw the Red Devils rally and come from behind to win 2-1 and lift the trophy.

But Milner believes Nemanja Vidic should have seen red for his challenge on Gabriel Agbonlahor which led to the fifth-minute spot kick, but the referee opted not to send the defender off.

When asked if scoring the penalty was a bittersweet moment, Milner told The Big Interview podcast: "Yeah, probably.

“That's one memory you have: an early penalty that should have been a red but wasn't. Then, obviously it's a cup final, the pressure of taking a penalty and I scored it.

“But to be 1-0 up anyway, you'd like to think that you can go on and win it. It didn't happen.

“There is obviously that bitterness that I think it was a red card, really.”

Milner struck his spot kick to the opposite side to usual, and says it was a pre-conceived plan to outfox United keeper Thomas Kuszczak.

(Image: Getty Images)

“He'd have watched me,” Milner said of Kuszczak. “I'd taken a few in the games before and they'd all been one side. So that was why, really. I'm sure he'd have done his homework and gone with that.”

Milner would go on to win the League Cup with Man City in 2013-14 as well as two Premier League titles and an FA Cup.

Now playing his football with Liverpool , the former Leeds midfielder has the opportunity to add a third league crown to his resume with the Reds four points clear at the summit of the top flight.