Pellegrini has high hopes for Sterling

Liverpool great Steven Gerrard, Sterling’s captain at Anfield until the end of last season, was decidedly unimpressed by the behaviour of his former team-mate.

The Northern Irishman maintained that his relationship with Sterling remains good, although the forward has been heavily criticised by Reds fans.

Pellegrini went on to say that we signed him because he has a “big future” and whilst it’s a big fee that we’ve paid for him when it comes to potential it’s a potential he more than believes will pay off in the near future.

Roma’s former Arsenal winger Gervinho (one of six ex-Gunners on these two teams’ squad lists) found Pjanic, lurking some 25 metres from goal. He just played 45 minutes, he worked with our team just a few days so I’m happy with the way he played.

Balotelli responded with two further Tweets: “Liverpool fans are wonderful but i hope@sterling31 will play at his best because he deserve it. He’s a good guy young and talented…”

Until that potential is hit though, in the moment he offers us a speed that we don’t have upfront and he gives us another way of playing and another threat. “Keep it up”, the Italian ex-City player wrote.

The 20-year-old was jeered at the Melbourne Cricket Ground when he tripped over the ball on one of his first touches in the area, but a minute later soaked up the acclaim after slotting home a through ball from Nigerian teenager Kelechi Iheanacho.

Balotelli, who had a hard first season at Liverpool, later attempted to clarify his remarks after receiving some abusive replies.

The worldwide Champions Cup has come to life after Manchester City defeated AS Roma in a nail-biting penalty shootout, following a highly entertaining affair which ended at 2-2 after normal time.

“You always have stupid fans in the stadium”. Despite how good Francesco Totti has been for the club, it is clear to see that he perhaps is not as effective around the goal as he used to be, and Roma could do with another striker to assist him.

“I think for a striker it’s always important to score, especially when he scored early in the game”, he said.

But Hart was the shoot-out hero scoring from the spot himself then saving penalties by Seydou Doumbia and Seydou Keita to tee up Friday’s 95,000 sell-out game with Real Madrid.