Rested: Sterling only came on in the
second half against Estonia
The Three Lions boss said: “Raheem might say it is something that is becoming
ingrained in him and that he felt the need to talk about being tired more than
he would normally do.
“Am I the only one with the responsibility? Or does it have to be shared
between club and country? I think it does.
“I don’t think there is a lot of medical evidence to support the ‘two-day
recovery’ so if you want to, you might want to research that one. Certainly, the
Germans don’t do it. That is for certain.
“I think I should speak to Brendan, but it really is very simple and I am
sure he understands that situation.
“Raheem looked a bit tired and I made the decision from that to play Adam
Lallana. But he recovered well enough for the game and he is 100 per cent fully
fit and really it is just a decision on my part.
“But Brendan has been talking anyway about the pressures Raheem has been
under and the fatigue that may have set in a little bit so I am pretty sure that
he will be dealing over the next month with Raheem as he sees fair.” VIEW GALLERY
Sterling has become a main
man for England and Liverpool but the spotlight is also on him as at the
same stage last season he had made just two starts and played 335 minutes. This
season he has made 14 appearances, 12 starts and played 1,106 minutes.
Rodgers let rip at Hodgson over Daniel Sturridge’s thigh injury which
happened in between England games last month and the simmering tension has
boiled over again.
Hodgson’s decision not only to go public on Sterling’s private conversation
that he needed a break and also questioning Liverpool’s methods is unlikely to
please the Anfield hierarchy.
