Brendan Rodgers Calls on Raheem Sterling to Score as well as Create

Liverpool winger Raheem Sterling has had an amazing rise. After being arguably England’s best player during a dire World Cup campaign, he kept the ball rolling by being exactly the same during Liverpool’s extensive pre-season fixture list. Now, Reds boss Brendan Rodgers has called on him to carry that form into the Premier League season.

“He is still learning the game and has improvements to make, but he is an incredible young player. He can really go on and be what he wants. He is 19 but has a big future ahead of him” said the Northern Irishman. “Something we said to Raheem when he first broke into the team, and something we’ve reiterated since, is that you have to have an identity as a player. His identity is he has to score goals and create goals. That’s what the job is.”

Sterling followed up scoring the winner in the Anfield outfits 1-0 win over Greek side Olympiacos in Chicago by sneaking in a fantastic effort when the Reds met Premier League rivals Manchester City in New York City — a goal Rodgers said reminded him of something Argentinian powerhouse Lionel Messi would come out with.

“The finish…how many times have we seen Messi produce a touch like that? Taking it through bodies and when it’s so tight in the box,” he enthused. “There is still work for him to do, but he knows that and is a really good boy who is developing really well.”