With Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers bringing in a number of new recruits into the side over the summer, Raheem Sterling is targeting more goals this season not only to help the team, but to keep his place in the squad.
The 19-year old was arguably England’s best player over a disappointing World Cup campaign, but the youngster returned to Merseyside and picked up exactly where he left off last year by following up an fruitful pre-season by scoring the opening goal in Liverpool’s 2-1 win over Southampton in their first match of the new campaign. Although he’s already off the mark, Sterling wants to keep the momentum going and improve on his respectable tally from last season.
“I scored nine goals [last season] and the season before I scored two, so definitely that was a great season for me” the 19-year old told NBC Sports in a recent interview. “I got older and mature [last season] and being out the team I knew I had to be on the scoresheet quite regularly if I was to stay in the team, so that’s something I’m working and improving on, and it’ll benefit me and the team.”
With both Adam Lallana and Lazar Markovic targeting Sterling’s spot in the squad after completing big money moves over the summer, the competition for starting places just ratcheted up substantially. The Reds will have a lot of football to play this year with the rigors of their European commitments sure to take their toll, but he who scores plays and the 19-year old will be hoping he’ll be the one in the side when the high profile trips to the continent roll around rather than the weekend jaunts to the lower echelons of English football in the domestic cups.
