Sterling responding well after red card, says Gerrard

Raheem Sterling is still in contention for a place in England's starting eleven for their World Cup opener, despite his sending off on Wednesday night, according to Steven Gerrard.

The Liverpool winger had been on the pitch for less than 15 minutes when a second-half challenge on Ecuador's Luis Antonio Valencia earned him a red card.

It also means that Sterling will be suspended for the Three Lions final World Cup warm-up game against Honduras at Miami's Sun Life Stadium on Saturday

However, Gerrard says his performances in training since have been a perfect response, and with their first game in Brazil only a week away, Sterling should still be in the reckoning.

"He is very resilient," said the Liverpool and England skipper. "You judge a player on a set-back and he was the best in training this morning – he was very sharp and lively.

"Straight away, after the incident, when I spoke to him in the dressing room I said it is important how you react and that you are the best in training from now until Saturday to put yourself back in the frame for Italy. I think he has started to do that." 

And manager Roy Hodgson was also full of praise for the 19-year-old, who now has four caps for his country. 

"He was absolutely gutted to get sent off, as were we," said Hodgson. "But he doesn’t seem to have taken it to heart. 

"I don’t think it was a lack of discipline it was his desire to help us out of a difficult situation by using his incredible pace to stop Valencia getting into a good position. 

"We have talked it out and he has talked it out with Steve, so as far as I am concerned it has happened and the blow is that he can’t play [against Honduras] when I would have liked to see him play. 

He added: "The most important thing is that with his performances he is still very much making me aware that this is a player who can do an awful lot of damage to the opposition. 

 "He really is an exceptional talent alongside the other exceptional talents."