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John Barnes: 'Avoid unrealistic expectations for Raheem Sterling'

Barnes: 'Don't pressure Sterling'
© PA Photos
John Barnes calls on Liverpool fans to ease their expectations of Raheem Sterling following the teenager's launch into the first team.

Former Liverpool midfielder John Barnes has called on the Reds' supporters to avoid piling the pressure on youngster Raheem Sterling.

The 17-year-old has been launched into the Merseyside club's first team under manager Brendan Rodgers and the winger was also handed a call-up to the senior England squad for last night's 1-1 draw with Ukraine.

"Will there be added pressure on him, because he's in the England squad, to revitalise Liverpool's season?," the Liverpool Daily Post quotes Barnes as saying. "You don't want the pressure to be on a young boy or to rest your hopes on him if your team's not playing well."

Meanwhile, the Reds are preparing to return to Premier League duty following the international break with an away trip to Sunderland.

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TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool15113131131836
2Chelsea16104237191834
3Arsenal1686229151430
4Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest168442119228
5Manchester CityMan City168352823527
6Bournemouth167452421325
7Aston Villa167452425-125
8Fulham166642422224
9Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton166642625124
10Tottenham HotspurSpurs1672736191723
11Brentford167273230223
12Newcastle UnitedNewcastle166552321223
13Manchester UnitedMan Utd166462119222
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham165472129-819
15Crystal Palace163761721-416
16Everton153661421-715
17Leicester CityLeicester163582134-1314
18Ipswich TownIpswich162681628-1212
19Wolverhampton WanderersWolves1623112440-169
20Southampton1612131136-255


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