Raheem Sterling’s recent good form has put him in contention for Roy Hodgson’s World Cup squad, with the England manager speaking of the young winger’s “re-emergence” following a slow start to the season at Anfield.
With Theo Walcott’s injury opening up a space on the flank in the England side there is an opportunity for a host of young wingers – including Wilfried Zaha, Andros Townsend and even the resurgent Adam Johnson – to stake a claim for the trip to Brazil.
Hodgson told The Guardian that if Sterling’s form and fitness are maintained over the next few weeks then the 19 year old will be included in the squad for the international friendly against Denmark.
A common theme among Hodgson’s options for wide players at Brazil is one of a resurgence in fortunes. Zaha’s recent move to Cardiff, following a frustrating start to his Man Utd career – has placed him back in the picture, while some excellent performances for Sunderland have brought Adam Johnson back to a position many presumed had passed him by. Alex Oxlade Chamberlain is recently returned to the Arsenal side following injury, having missed 6 months.
Hodgson spoke of Sterling’s seeming new lease of life, saying: "He was doing fantastically well and then he lost his place for a while. He almost disappeared off the scene and wasn't on the radar, but I remember being very impressed with him in the under-21 game I oversaw [in August 2013]. He still hadn't really burst back into the Liverpool team back then but now he's back in the side his form seems to be going up and up.
"People like him emerging, and doing as well as he is in a top team, just puts a lot of pressure on everybody else because, if you can do at it the top of the table with Liverpool, then you can do it in an England shirt as well. We've lost Theo, who's been pretty much a regular, so it's good to have Raheem, and there are others. The under-21 team is awash. You've got Zaha back in the frame again because he's playing football at Cardiff after his time out; Nathan Redmond is back at Norwich doing very well; Oxlade-Chamberlain, Aaron Lennon still there; and Adam Johnson is another. We're not short of candidates."
Image: Liverpool's Raheem Sterling
©INPHO/Donall Farmer
