'There's more to Raheem than pace'

Sterling has now featured in nine consecutive matches for the Reds since returning against Hull City in early December, chipping in with three goals in the process.

He made a bold statement of intent against Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane during the 5-0 thrashing before consolidating his place in the side in the games that followed.

Molby insists there's more to the winger's recent fine vein of form than sheer electric pace - something Sterling has always possessed in abundance.

Rather, the Dane believes technical adjustments to positioning, movement and decision-making have helped the 19-year-old take his game to another level.

"Credit to Brendan Rodgers because I think he has found a way to get the most out of Sterling's pace, which at times makes him almost unplayable," wrote Jan in his Liverpool Echo column.

"But when he first came into the team he was doing a lot of his running with the ball. Now he's doing a lot more without the ball. Liverpool have clearly worked very hard on what Sterling does when he's not in possession.

"Against Cardiff City at home you could see we targeted their left-back and put balls in behind him and asked Sterling to get on the end of them.

"Rather than him waiting for the ball to come to him and trying to dribble past the full-back, they are looking for him to run in behind defenders.

"The running he's doing off the ball has led to his whole game improving. His decision-making on the ball has become better and he has added a few goals and assists to his game.

"You often find that if you get one part of your game right; the others will fall into place too."

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Molby has called on Sterling to maintain his impressive current form until the end of the season, in order to help book a flight to Brazil for the 2014 FIFA World Cup finals in June.

He believes injury to Arsenal's Theo Walcott could help free up a path for the youngster to play his way into contention to be selected in Roy Hodgson's final squad.

"If Sterling can maintain his current form then the Liverpool winger's reward will be a place in the England squad for the World Cup finals," said Molby.

"With Walcott missing through injury, what an opportunity for Sterling to convince Hodgson he's the ideal replacement.

"The way he's playing at the moment will be good enough to put him on that plane to Brazil.

"But the fact is he's still got more than four months until the squad is announced. A lot can happen in that time and Sterling needs to prove it's a permanent improvement from him and not just a purple patch."