Milner was only a substitute for last weekend's league victory at West Brom before being cup-tied for the shock Carling Cup reversal at home to QPR on Wednesday.
Martin O'Neill: "We went into the West Brom game with the same side as against Tottenham the previous Monday and the same side as against Liverpool - but James will play. Don't worry about that.
"We've got another 1,000 games to play. James didn't sign for a month and a half! He will play and so will Carlos Cuellar and so will some of the other people we have signed."James couldn't play against QPR because he was cup-tied. I get asked 'where I am I going to fit James in.'
"It is a nice problem to have. But he will play. He didn't come here to sit on the bench - but it is a nice problem to have."