Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has urged the club's supporters to back Raheem Sterling, despite the forward wanting to leave Anfield in the summer.
Sterling has knocked back a new contract offer worth £100,000 per week from Liverpool and believes he needs to leave the Merseyside giants to give himself the best chance of winning trophies.
His stance has angered Liverpool supporters and Sterling was booed at the club's recent end of season awards ceremony, while he may again be on the end of the fans' anger tomorrow when the Reds play Stoke City at the Britannia Stadium.
But Rodgers does not want fans to be too harsh on the England international, who he believes has given his all for the red shirt.
Rodgers was quoted as saying by beIN Sports: "My message to the supporters would be: 'This is a young boy who in my time as manager has given the football club everything'.
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"He was thrust into the team at 17 years of age. In the following period he has been exceptional for me. He has had dips in form and performances but only because his standards are so high.
"He's a young man who has obviously passed on his career to other people and, unfortunately, whether people perceive it as right or wrong, he is being led by the representative.
"But the young boy I see on a daily basis and who I work with is still the same boy who wants to learn and I think the supporters will just continue to show what they always do, which is wonderful support for every player in the Liverpool shirt."
It remains to be seen if Rodgers will play Sterling in Liverpool's final game of the season tomorrow away at Stoke City.
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