He is also being expected to perform miracles for England

Not only are people expecting Sterling to impress for Liverpool, they are also expecting him to do it for the national side as well.

Again, the pressure of burnout is so high with young players – as is the curse of being English and hyped up far more than should be necessary.

You get the impression that with Sterling, all the hype is warranted but the media circus that surrounds England is a thousand times worse than the one which follows Liverpool.

Rodgers – and other England internationals at Anfield – will know this, and will have to do their best to keep Sterling out of the spotlight when they can.

The Reds have games coming thick and fast, and Sterling does not have the luxury of being rested during Euro qualifiers either. The heat is on the winger and the more Liverpool add to this, the more chance he has of simply folding.

Rodgers would do well to keep an eye on the situation with England and ensure that when he returns to Anfield, the 19 year old is protected as much as possible – and that does not include filling media and sponsorship obligations the club force on him.