Rodgers tips Raheem Sterling for England recall

Liverpool, United Kingdom: Brendan Rodgers believes Raheem Sterling can return to the senior England squad in time for the World Cup finals should he maintain his impressive recovery of form at Liverpool.

The 19-year-old winger has started the last five games, scoring three times in the past four matches, and followed his fine display in the 5-0 rout of Tottenham Hotspur with another confident performance in Saturday’s 3-1 defeat of Cardiff City.

Sterling’s promise was recognised with an England call-up in September 2012 followed by a first cap against Sweden that November. He featured in Roy Hodgson’s squads at the start of this season but his international career has since developed at under-21 level.

The Liverpool manager is confident Sterling will be worthy of consideration for a place in Brazil. “He’s got every opportunity [of going to the World Cup]. He’s done very well for the under-21s when he’s played. I think if you look at a number of the English players playing for us there was Jordan Henderson and the level of his game at the weekend. The likes of Raheem. I think this is a place where the young players are growing and developing and that will benefit England and Liverpool as well.”

— Guardian news and Media Ltd