Mark Lawrenson slams "pathetic" Raheem Sterling

Liverpool legend Mark Lawrenson has branded Raheem Sterling's attempts to engineer a move to Manchester City as "pathetic".

The England international missed two days of training this week after citing illness, while his agent, Aidy Ward, claimed that his client was unhappy with manager Brendan Rodgers earlier this month.

Lawrenson told the Liverpool Echo: "Sterling now needs to be honest. He needs to tell Rodgers once and for all that he wants to leave and the real reason why, because the player and his representatives keep changing their tune on that one.

"It is pathetic. Sterling is now just trying to take the mickey. Sterling calling in sick was a classic toys-out-of-the-pram moment."

A recent report claimed that Sterling was closing in on a £45m move to Manchester City.