Roy Hodgson open to Raheem Sterling inclusion in World Cup squad

England coach Roy Hodgson has said that he could include Liverpool winger Raheem Sterling in his squad for the 2014 World Cup finals in Brazil.

The 19-year-old has been in impressive form for the Reds this season, scoring five goals and providing two assists in 21 Premier League appearances so far.

"Sterling emerging and doing as well as he is in a top, top team just puts a lot of pressure on everybody else, because if you can do it at the top of the table with Liverpool then you can do it in an England shirt," The Mirror quotes him as saying.

"It's a re-emergence for him in a way. We gave him his debut against Sweden when we opened the stadium in Stockholm and he had burst into the Liverpool team and was doing fantastically well. Then he lost his place and almost disappeared. He wasn't on the radar to such an extent.

"Then I remember having that Under-21 game against Scotland last summer and being very impressed with him, but at a time when he still hadn't really burst back into the Liverpool team. But now since he's back in the Liverpool team his form seems to be going up and up and up. And it means we do have competition in wide areas, on the right and left."

Sterling made his debut for England against Sweden in Stockholm in a friendly international in November 2012.