Raheem Sterling has vowed to help Liverpool back into the Champions League as the storm over his contract rages around him.

The Anfield star, 20, has sparked controversy by shelving talks over a new deal on hold until the end of the season.

Arsenal and Manchester City are among a string of clubs monitoring the stand-off between him and his advisers. But Sterling is focused simply on helping the Reds into the top four.

He said: “We’ve been in great form in recent weeks and I am just trying to contribute as much as I can to obviously help the team get into the top four. But I think we are more than capable of doing that.”

Sterling has scored 10 goals for Liverpool this season and struck his first for England in their 4-0 European Championship qualifying win over Lithuania on Friday.

He has been given permission to return to Liverpool ahead of their lunchtime clash with Arsenal on Saturday lunchtime.

Speaking to SportsYoungTalent, Sterling has vowed to grab more goals and to improve his “weaknesses”.

Return: Sterling was released from England duty ahead of their clash with Arsenal on Saturday (
Image:
Alex Livesey)

He said: “We’ve all got weaknesses. My main focus now is to try and improve my goalscoring ratio, practising my finishing in training day in, day out and trying to get to the level I know I can get to. It only takes a matter of time.”

Sterling has also dismissed suggestions that England’s stars are getting carried away with the win over Lithuania.

He said: “Obviously we don’t want to get too excited. We just want to keep a consistency which I think we have over the last five campaign games.

“I think we have done really well. Obviously there is a big test for the boys against Italy.

“That will be a massive test. But we are definitely going in the right direction. Hopefully we will keep it up and keep this run going.

“Obviously we have had disappointing campaigns in the past years but I think the future that we are building for England is real exciting times ahead.”

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