Sunday, 21st October, 2012
Liverpool defender Glen Johnson has hailed team-mate Raheem Sterling as making real improvement, week by week, to his game.
Sterling scored his first and the only goal of the match as Liverpool beat newly promoted Reading at Anfield in the Premier League yesterday, giving the Reds their first home league win of the season.
The 17-year-old winger was a standout performer and is looking to be a more dangerous threat for opposing defences by the game.
And Johnson admits that Sterling’s improvement is plain to see in training – and now it is being translated into on the pitch performances.
"We were delighted for Raheem to score his first goal and he deserved it", Johnson told his club’s official site.
"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 added.
relatedNewsStory"He is a confident lad every day in training and a good lad as well. He is learning quickly."
Sterling’s introduction into the Liverpool starting eleven, while England international Stewart Downing is confined to the bench, is ample evidence of Reds manager Brendan Rodgers’ feeling that age is no barrier to a regular role in the side.
Downing, who was signed last summer from Aston Villa for £20M, looks a long way off cementing a place in the Liverpool first eleven, while fellow left winger Sterling is surging ahead in his development.
Liverpool next switch their attention to European matters, with Russian Premier League leaders Anzhi Makhachkala the visitors to Anfield on Thursday evening.
Guus Hiddink’s men have been in fine form this season and, in qualifying for the Europa League, thrashed Dutch side AZ Alkmaar 5-0 in Holland.
Liverpool, having been beaten 3-2 at Anfield by Udinese in their last Europa League group game, badly need to pick up three points.
