Johnson tips Sterling for greatness

While this season has certainly had its fair share of disappointments so far for Liverpool fans, one thing that has put a smile on their faces is the progress of Raheem Sterling. As most of the senior players have struggled, Sterling has really come into his own and teammate Glen Johnson says that the winger will continue to improve over the next few years.

Even though Sterling actually broke into the first team last season, it’s only over recent times that he has become a regular and many supporters class him as one of the club’s most important players. His speed and ability to take players on is second to none and after a long wait, he finally grabbed his first goal in a red shirt following his winner against Norwich on Saturday.

Following that strike, full back Glen Johnson has been quick to lavish praise on the 17-year-old. Speaking to the club’s official website Johnson said, “We were delighted for Raheem to score his first goal and he deserved it. He just takes everything in his stride and is always willing to learn. He has got fantastic attributes and I’m pretty sure and confident that this won’t be his last goal in the Premier League that’s for sure. He is a confident lad every day in training and a good lad as well. He is learning quickly.”

There’s no doubt that the influence of Brendan Rodgers has been hugely important in Sterling’s progress, with the former Reading manager being one of the biggest advocates of youth football in the Premier League. In fact, some people have raised their eyebrows at just how much football Sterling has played considering his age, with the youngster featuring no fewer than fifteen times for the club over the opening months of the season.