FORMER Rainhill High pupil Raheem Sterling has been backed to make England's football World Cup squad, by his Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers.

Sterling, 19, has been recalled to the England squad for Wednesday's friendly with Denmark after a series of outstanding performances for Liverpool.

The teenager won his first cap for England in November 2012, but dropped out of the squad after his form at Anfield dipped.

Rodgers feels the winger – who attended Rainhill after moving up to Merseyside from London - has matured as a person on and off the pitch.

He is now being tipped to make the flight to Brazil.

Rodgers said: "I just think that a year or so down the line from his first cap, England will be seeing a player with much greater maturity and a young player who has produced in big games," Rodgers said.

"He's a kid who's just turned 19 but he's a father now, that brings maturity into your life and he's coping with that remarkably well.

"You see a young player who's getting stronger and stronger every day; a young player who, tactically, has improved his level impressively."