Joe Allen: Raheem Sterling's ability is frightening

RAHEEM STERLING has seen talent as one of the best young players in the world pushed back onto the agenda as Liverpool team-mate Joe Allen hailed him as “frightening.”

Raheem SterlingGETTY

Joe Allen has heaped praise on Raheem Sterling's ability

Midfielder Allen brought the focus back onto what Sterling does on the pitch after the controversy surroundings pictures and a video showing the England youngster smoking a shisha pipe and inhaling laughing gas.

Sterling scored his 11th goal of the season in Monday’s 2-0 win over Newcastle, which lifted Liverpool back into fifth place, with an outstanding curling effort and Allen marvelled at his skills.

“People forget sometimes that Raheem is only 20-years-old. It's frightening how good he is,” said Allen. “He's someone who will continue to get better and better. Performances like that are what he's all about.

“Sometimes people talk about how there's no young English talent but that's a load of rubbish, being honest.

“There aren't many 20 year olds in world football doing what Raheem is doing. It's great for England as a nation and more importantly for Liverpool.

“Goalscoring is something he's getting better at all the time. Credit to him. His rise during my three seasons here has been incredible.

“I remember his first start in the Man City game when he was thrown in. It was pretty clear then that he was special and since then he's gone on to prove that.

Raheem Sterling Player Profile

“It was a brilliant goal from Raheem. He showed a bit of everything. It was a great switch from Jordan (Henderson) over to him.

“Then when he gets in those one versus one situations in the final third, nine times out of 10 you back him to get the better of the defender. It was a great finish.

“He showed us what he's all about.”

Sterling is Liverpool’s leading goalscorer this season and is continuing to attract interest from major clubs as his contract stand-off with the club persists.

He has turned down a £100,000-a-week new deal and Allen said: “I'm not the man to give him advice. It's something that everyone is hopeful will get resolved and that he can be here at this club for a very long time.”

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