Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers has told Raheem Sterling to get a grip on his life off the pitch.

Sterling was cleared of assaulting his former girlfriend at Liverpool Magistrates Court last week when the case against him collapsed.

But that was not the first time Sterling has had to contend with legal issues in his short career, as he was quizzed by police over an assault last November, says the Daily Mail.

"He needs to have a clear mind in everything in his life," said Rodgers. "We mustn't forget he is 18. We have 18 and 17-year-olds on the bench at the moment. He needs to stabilise his life.

"He needs to understand the remarkable opportunity he has at one of the biggest clubs in the world and focus everything on his career.

"Once he does that and he is clear in his mind, once he has got no distractions, we can get to the level of performance of the first four to five months of last year.

"He is a good boy and had lots going on last year when he was put in the spotlight and he did well, but now it's about him focusing on his football."