Those who achieve greatness are high achievers from an early stage . They know this better than most at Anfield . Take Michael Owen . By the time he was 20 in December 1999 , his list of accomplishments read like the wish-list of many footballers . He had been named PFA Young Player of the Year ( 1998 ) , scored one of the greatest World Cup finals goals and won BBC Sports Personality of the Year . There were also 18 England caps and he had passed 50 career goals for Liverpool . Raheem Sterling , pictured in training on Thursday , has rejected a new contract worth £100,000-a-week . Sterling trains with his Liverpool team-mates at Melwood as the Reds prepare to face Arsenal on Saturday . Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers ( right ) insists that Sterling will not be sold in the summer transfer window . Then there is Robbie Fowler . Another PFA Young Player of the Year award winner ( 1995 ) , he had entered the record books by scoring the fastest hat-trick in the Barclays Premier League on his way to 50 goals by his 20th birthday and won his first major honour ( the 1995 League Cup ) . Others had similar impacts . Steve McManaman ended his first season as a Liverpool regular with a Man-of-the-Match performance in the 1992 FA Cup final win over Sunderland . Steven Gerrard 's first year out of his teens saw him collect the League Cup , the FA Cup and the UEFA Cup . That is the barometer by which those on The Kop judge prodigies . So let us now look at the CV of Raheem Sterling , who was 20 on December 8 last year . It currently reads : Liverpool Young Player of the Year 2013-2014 and Europe 's Golden Boy 2014 . There are also 14 England caps and one goal . Steven Gerrard had won three trophies in the first year out of his teens including the FA Cup and UEFA Cup . Michael Owen scored this memorable goal against Argentina at the 1998 World Cup when he was just 18 . Owen had been named BBC Sports Personality of the Year and scored over 50 goals when he hit 20 . Steve McManaman lifts the FA Cup in 1992 after helping Liverpool defeat Sunderland at Wembley . Robbie Fowler was PFA Young Player of the Year in 1995 and scored the Premier League 's fastest hat-trick . Good ? Yes . Great ? No . Just 18 months ago he could n't even get a start for Liverpool . This should not come across as an attempt to belittle Sterling 's talents — he is undeniably exciting — but he has become embroiled in a storm that has made him out to be on par with the four men named above . His comments in that ridiculously misguided BBC interview about wanting to challenge for trophies in his career and playing with the best players evoked memories of the Luis Suarez affair . He is absolutely not in the same sphere as the Uruguayan . 'That was probably Raheem looking over the course of the next 15 years if he plays to 35 , ' Brendan Rodgers observed on Thursday . 'Players now look to later in their career and their life . But I can only focus on here , Liverpool and what is best for now . As a 20-year-old , he 's not at that level . 'We think that it will be best for him here and we will work hard to ensure he stays . ' Sterling receives Europe 's Golden Boy award ahead of a game against Arsenal in December last year . Sterling was named Liverpool 's Young Player of the Year for 2013-14 but he is miles behind Luis Suarez . Sterling 's first and only England goal arrived against Lithuania in a Euro 2016 qualifier last Friday . Liverpool should n't have to work hard to keep Sterling . His advisors have every right to look to maximise their client 's earnings but , somewhere and somehow , they have lost sight of the bigger picture and a series of dreadful judgements have been made . The first signs that all was not well came on October 3 when Sportsmail ran a back page story with the headline 'Kop fight to keep Sterling ' . That the story came after Sterling had been anonymous in a 1-0 Champions League defeat in Basle did n't do him any favours . There have been a raft of similar stories , a lot of which have either coincided with games that have gone against Liverpool — such as when their fate in the Champions League was condemned in December — or ones in which he has played well , England against Lithuania being a prime example . Sterling , pictured in action against Chelsea , has only scored six Premier League goals so far this season . Sterling is expected to start for Liverpool when they take on Arsenal at the Emirates on Saturday . The former QPR youngster is wanted by clubs including Arsenal , Chelsea , Real Madrid and Bayern Munich . As he looks to steer Liverpool into the Champions League and win the FA Cup , Rodgers could do without this sideshow unfolding and so , more than anyone , could Sterling . If he wants to get to the level of Owen , Fowler or Gerrard , he needs to influence the games that matter . He has been regularly championed for his strength , pace and trickery after being given a platform on which to thrive by Rodgers . Deep down , Sterling will know what his manager has done for him . Now is the time to pay him back — and show potential , perhaps , can become something more substantial .
Raheem Sterling has rejected a new contract worth £100,000-a-week . Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers says Sterling wo n't be sold this summer . His achievements at three are not on the same level as some Anfield greats . Steven Gerrard won 20 trophies in the first year out of his teens . Michael Owen had scored more than 50 career goals for Liverpool . Sterling has a long way to go if he is to fulfil his huge potential .