Who's laughing now? Raheem Sterling leads Liverpool to victory but faces ‘talking to’ over nitrous oxide allegations
Footage emerges of the England international apparently smoking from a shisha pipe - then scores to keep Reds in Champions League hunt
Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers admitted he will talk to Raheem Sterling about his responsibilities as a professional footballer after a video emerged of the player apparently inhaling nitrous oxide.
The Sun newspaper published a clip of England international Sterling supposedly taking the legal high – commonly known as laughing gas – on their website during Liverpool’s 2-0 win over Newcastle United.
I will speak to him. We want players here who are super-professional and focused on their football. He very much is. It will be dealt with internally
Sterling, who scored in the win over Newcastle which helped Liverpool close the gap on fourth-placed Manchester City in the Premier League to four points, has been under intense scrutiny.
The 20-year-old forward was pictured smoking from a shisha pipe last weekend, and recently revealed in an interview that he turned down a lucrative contract at Anfield which saw him light-heartedly heckled at Liverpool’s kit launch.
“For me it is something that when you are a professional sportsperson at the top, I don’t think it is something you should be doing,” Rodgers said.
“It is as simple as that. But I will speak to him. We want players here who are super-professional and focused on their football. He very much is. It will be dealt with internally.