Stoke v Liverpool team news: Asmir Begovic to start

Asmir Begovic: Set to return in goal for Stoke

Asmir Begovic is set to return in goal for Stoke's final Premier League game of the season against Liverpool at the Britannia Stadium.

The Bosnian has sat out the last three games as manager Mark Hughes opted to give England Under-21 international Jack Butland some first-team experience.

Midfielder Stephen Ireland is a doubt with a stiff back.

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers insists Raheem Sterling is available for selection despite his contract row hitting the headlines again this week.

Captain Steven Gerrard makes his 710th and final appearance before leaving for Los Angeles Galaxy.

Striker Mario Balotelli, who has not featured since April 28 because of injury and illness, remains a doubt.

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Gary Neville: Liverpool are in danger of becoming a provincial club

Raheem Sterling: Seemingly wants to leave Liverpool

Gary Neville believes Liverpool are in danger of losing their status as one of the Europe's biggest clubs as key players continue to look to leave.

Liverpool have been unable to agree a contract extension with Raheem Sterling, who is expected to be targeted by the likes of Chelsea and Manchester City this summer and could follow in the footsteps of Luis Suarez, who left the club 12 months ago to join Barcelona.

Writing in his column for The Telegraph, Neville believes Sterling's desire to move on presents the latest evidence that Liverpool are a fading force.

“The harsh reality for the club is that this situation has been 15 years in the making,” Neville wrote. “There is a wider context to this story and it centres on how Liverpool have gone from being from one Europe’s great superpowers to one which is in danger of becoming a provincial club.

“The uncomfortable truth is that this is nothing new for Liverpool. Just look back over the past 10 to 15 years and count the number of players who have left Anfield to pursue bigger and better things elsewhere.

“Steve McManaman, Michael Owen, Javier Mascherano, Xabi Alonso, Fernando Torres and Luis Suarez have all gone.”

Although Neville acknowledges that Liverpool remain alongside Manchester United in terms of global appeal, he feels the club have been responsible for their own decline.

“While United have been happy to shout from the rooftops about how big they are and promote the legend and mythology of the club on a global scale for years, Liverpool seem to have been stuck in their own mud,” Neville added.

“They are years behind the biggest European clubs and, for me, their problems are a direct result of that failure to think beyond the confines of their city.

“Great football clubs like Liverpool will never go away, but they need to find a way to arrest the slide and make themselves a team that players want to play for rather than one they try to leave in search of bigger things elsewhere.

“If Sterling leaves, then that will be another star player who has decided that Liverpool is a club that is unable to match their ambitions.”

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Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini unsure if Yaya Toure and James Milner will stay

James Milner and Yaya Toure: Uncertain futures

Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini is in the dark over the futures of midfielders Yaya Toure and James Milner.

Ivory Coast star Toure, 32, has been tipped to join Paris Saint-Germain this summer after his agent claimed he was "90 per cent certain" to leave the Etihad Stadium.

England international Milner, 29, is out of contract at the end of the current campaign and has held off opening negotiations over an extension.

When asked about the future of Toure, Pellegrini said: "Same as James Milner - we have to analyse the whole squad at the end of the season and then we will see which is the best for the club and the player.

"James must decide what he wants to do for his future. That just belongs to him. He asked the club to allow him to take the decision at the end of the season. He will do it in the right moment.

"There are a lot of things we must think about for the future. We will try to do it as well as we can."

Pellegrini was equally coy over reports City will attempt to lure England winger Raheem Sterling away from Liverpool when the season is over.

The Chilean said: "Same answer that I gave you last week - I don't talk about rumours.

"There are a lot of very important players that maybe all the teams are wanting. I don't know what happens with Sterling or all the other players.

"We finish the season on Sunday. After that we will see what we need and which players can come here."

City wrap up a disappointing defence of their 2013/2014 Premier League title when they host Southampton on Sunday.

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Arsenal forward Theo Walcott could leave, says Charlie Nicholas

Charlie Nicholas: Make Theo Walcott feel wanted or risk losing him

Charlie Nicholas fears that Arsenal could lose Theo Walcott this summer if Arsene Wenger fails to make him feel like an integral member of the team.

Walcott returned from injury in January but has failed to establish himself as a regular in Wenger’s starting line-up, making just three Premier League starts and 10 substitute appearances.

The Gunners host West Brom in the final game of the campaign on Sunday before taking on Aston Villa in the FA Cup final on the following Saturday, and Nicholas has urged Wenger to give Walcott his chance.

He told Sky Sports: “I’m definitely concerned that if Theo doesn’t feel part of the team that he might want to leave.

“Liverpool must be looking at him given what’s happening with Raheem Sterling right now and he’s still at a great age to sign.

“I’m a big fan of Theo and this he has showed enormous maturity in trying to prove himself as a centre-forward, but if he doesn’t feel like he’s competing for a starting position then he’ll be tempted to leave.

“I thought he should have started against Sunderland and he should definitely be given a chance to prove a point against West Brom. He could play and important role in the FA Cup final with (Olivier) Giroud struggling for form.

“The same applies for Jack Wilshere, who hasn’t really had a chance either as the team were in great form when he returned form injury.”

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Arsene Wenger believes Raheem Sterling is not at fault for failed Liverpool talks

Arsene Wenger insists Raheem Sterling is not necessarily to blame for difficult contract talks with Liverpool.

Liverpool cancelled contract talks with Sterling scheduled for Friday and the 20-year-old was booed at the club's award ceremony on Tuesday.

Wenger believes it is better for clubs to conduct their business behind closed doors and said this is when the most effective transfers are done.

Wenger accepts players are heavily linked to their agents as they come as a package so it is important to acknowledge a story may come from an agent.

"I don’t want to single out people but discretion is the best way to deal with things," said Wenger. "For us, it adds difficulties when it is public.

"I am not sure it is the player causing the problem. They [a player and agent] come as a package that is true, but the problems do not always come from the player, sometimes from the package.

"You know how it works. The agent's interest is to put a story in public. Always the best deals we have done is when it was quiet and secret."

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Brendan Rodgers expects Raheem Sterling to stay at Liverpool

Brendan Rodgers expects Raheem Sterling to stay at Liverpool

Brendan Rodgers says he expects Raheem Sterling to stay at the club despite transfer speculation regarding his future.

Rodgers said he expects Raheem Sterling to see through the remaining two years of his contract and that the England striker is available for selection against Stoke.

Sterling has been linked with a move away from Liverpool and talks over his future scheduled for Friday were cancelled by the club.

The 20-year-old was booed by some Liverpool fans as he accepted the Young Player of the Year award at Tuesday night’s end of season awards ceremony.

Rodgers expects a positive reaction from the Liverpool supporters on Sunday and insists they will give Sterling their backing during their final game of the season against Stoke.

 "Raheem has two years left and I expect him to see that two years through and continue to behave as immaculately as he has done.

"We want to resolve (contract) situation but it doesn't change my approach to him. There is no problem there.

"Ownership have shown their strength in their time here. When they have had to show that strength with players they have done that."

More to follow...

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Roy Hodgson: Lay off Liverpool forward Raheem Sterling

Roy Hodgson has mounted a passionate defence of Raheem Sterling after more drama with the Liverpool forward's contract saga.

Sterling was due to hold talks with Liverpool on Friday and, according to Sky sources, was preparing to tell the club he would not be signing an extension to his current deal.

That meeting has now been scrapped by Liverpool, and it is understood their stance remains the same: Sterling has two years to run on his contract and is not for sale.

In the meantime Sterling and his agent Aidy Ward have been criticised by Liverpool greats Jamie Carragher and Phil Thompson on Sky Sports, while the player has been jeered at the club's awards ceremony.

None of that deterred Hodgson from including Sterling in his latest England squad, and the manager says the 20-year-old deserves sympathy rather than abuse.

"I trust him implicitly," Hodgson said. "I think he's a very important person and a very important player for England going forward. I'll be very disappointed if he doesn't continue to kick on and get even better as he gets older.

"And I really do sympathise with these players who, if you like, have got to live their lives under scrutiny - sometimes of their making, sometimes of other people's making - and they've got to deal with it.

"I worry for all these young players, to be honest. They become stars very quickly. Their period of potential stardom doesn't last for very long these days. Sometimes, a few games in the Premier League and you are a star.

"We should never forget we're dealing with very young people. I believe from what I know of Raheem that he's strong enough to compartmentalise his life - from this side to what happens on the field of play, which is what interests me."

Hodgson earlier said he would not be "poking my nose in" to the row and called Sterling's chanracter "absolutely spot-on".

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Roy Hodgson: Lay off Liverpool forward Raheem Sterling

Roy Hodgson has mounted a passionate defence of Raheem Sterling after another day of twists in the Liverpool forward's contract saga.

Sterling was due to hold talks with Liverpool on Friday and, according to Sky sources, was preparing to tell the club he would not be signing an extension to his current deal.

That meeting has now been scrapped by Liverpool, and it is understood their stance remains the same: Sterling has two years to run on his contract and is not for sale.

In the meantime Sterling and his agent Aidy Ward have been criticised by Liverpool greats Jamie Carragher and Phil Thompson on Sky Sports, while the player has been jeered at the club's awards ceremony.

None of that deterred Hodgson from including Sterling in his latest England squad, and the manager says the 20-year-old deserves sympathy rather than abuse.

"I trust him implicitly," Hodgson said. "I think he's a very important person and a very important player for England going forward. I'll be very disappointed if he doesn't continue to kick on and get even better as he gets older.

"And I really do sympathise with these players who, if you like, have got to live their lives under scrutiny - sometimes of their making, sometimes of other people's making - and they've got to deal with it.

"I worry for all these young players, to be honest. They become stars very quickly. Their period of potential stardom doesn't last for very long these days. Sometimes, a few games in the Premier League and you are a star.

"We should never forget we're dealing with very young people. I believe from what I know of Raheem that he's strong enough to compartmentalise his life - from this side to what happens on the field of play, which is what interests me."

Hodgson earlier said he would not be "poking my nose in" to the row and called Sterling's chanracter "absolutely spot-on".

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Jordon Ibe and Jon Flanagan sign new Liverpool deals

Jordan Ibe: The midfielder has played 13 times since January after a loan spell at Derby County

Liverpool have announced Jordon Ibe and Jon Flanagan have agreed contract extensions with the club.

More to follow

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