Liverpool midfielder Charlie Adam believes that his young teammate Raheem Sterling is a "terrific" player but must continue to prove himself in the Premier League.

The 17-year-old, who was one of the standout players in the Reds' 2-2 draw with Manchester City on Sunday, has already been tipped for an England call-up.

"He's got a talent and if you can give him the ball and get him running at people, it's a joy to watch," Adam told the club's official website. "He's learned a lot from when I joined the club as he wasn't in the first-team squad then but the manager has brought him in now.

"I thought he gave Kolo Toure a tough game on Sunday and he should be proud of his performance, but the biggest problem when you've got young players like that is everybody jumps on the bandwagon and says he should be doing this and playing for England etc. Let him play 20 to 30 games for Liverpool first and then make the decision on how good he is."

Meanwhile, the Merseyside outfit are preparing to take on Hearts in the second leg of their Europa League tie at Anfield tomorrow.