Raheem sterling has become a distraction-Carragher

The off-the-field behaviour of Liverpool winger
Raheem Sterling has become a "distraction",
according to former defender Jamie Carragher.
Sterling, 20, has held talks with Reds manager
Brendan Rodgers after being photographed using
a shisha pipe and appearing to inhale nitrous
oxide.
"Even if you don't talk about it, it is in the
background," said Carragher, 37.
"Rodgers is asked the day before a game, when
he should be talking football he's thinking about
Sterling."
Carragher, who made 737 appearances for
Liverpool - below only Ian Callaghan in the club's
record-appearance list - also believes Sterling's
interview with BBC Sport - unsanctioned by the
club - was an issue.
Sterling explained he had turned down a new
contract offer worth £100,000-a-week but said he
is "not about the money".
"As young players, and I have been guilty myself,
we have made mistakes but hopefully this will be
a maturing point for him," Carragher added.
Rodgers told BBC Sport's Football Focus his
player - nominated for the PFA's Young Player of
the Year award this week - will look back on
recent events and "wonder what he was doing".
Asked if players would intervene in this situation,
Carragher added: "If it continually happens you
know you've got a problem and you may need to
pull someone and have a word with them."