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Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has denied that the club put pressure on England boss Roy Hodgson to rest Raheem Sterling for the Three Lions' Euro 2016 qualifier against Estonia on Sunday. Sterling started in the victory against San Marino the previous Thursday but was left out of the starting line-up on Sunday, although he came off the bench to win the free-kick from which Wayne Rooney scored the only goal. Rodgers insists that Sterling never said he did not want to play and that it was Hodgson's decision to leave the forward out of the starting XI. "I'm fed up reading about this club vs. country, claims we intervened and put pressure on Roy Hodgson," Rodgers told The Independent. "I've read we sent a dossier to the FA on Raheem Sterling and Daniel Sturridge and I'm having showdown talks with Roy Hodgson on Sunday and all sorts of rubbish. The decision not to play him was a managerial decision. I haven't said a single word but have to say I have never seen such rubbish written over the past few days." Rodgers feels Sterling is not being fairly treated and does not believe the criticism will end any time soon. "At no point did Raheem Sterling say he didn't want to play for England," he added. "The boy is being hung out to dry and I dare say the criticism will continue for a few more weeks to come because of this." Meanwhile, former England captain Alan Shearer has insisted Sterling should not be drafted into the England under-21 side for next summer's Euro 2015 finals. Shearer believes Sterling was wrong to reportedly inform Hodgson that he was too tired to play, but he suggested a plan to put extra workload on the teenager at the end of this season would not benefit anyone. Several English newspapers have suggested Liverpool and the Football Association are in discussions over Sterling being called up to play for Gareth Southgate's under-21 side in the tournament in the Czech Republic, even though he has established himself as a key member of the senior England side. However, Shearer stresses players who have confirmed their worth at senior international level should not then be asked to play for under-21 sides. "When you have played for the full England team, the last thing you want to do is drop down to the under-21s again," Shearer told talkSPORT. "If you are a regular in the full team, I don't think you will be fully committed for an under-21 tournament, but if Gareth Southgate wants to take players out of the England team he is entitled to, but I don't think he will get the best out of them. "I understand the argument of getting tournament experience because I went to the Toulon tournament when I was with the England under-21s and it was a great experience. We managed to win the tournament, we had some nail-biting games and t did the world of good for me and that team." Shearer again touched on Sterling's reported move to tell Hodgson that he was feeling fatigued ahead of England's last Euro 2016 qualifier, as he insisted he had no sympathy with the Liverpool winger. "I still don't understand it all," he added. "I understand a guy saying to a manager, I'm feeling a bit tired. Is there anything the sport nutritionist can do to help me, but don't ever let him think you won't play in a game. I am desperate to play. "Don't ever give the manager an excuse to leave you out. I'm amazed the story came out and I'm amazed Raheem said it. "I look at the best players around the world and I look at Lionel Messi. I'm sure he started when he was 17 and he is still going strong now. I understand players need rest, but in the time I was brought up, I never heard anything like this. The man on the street would never understand how a guy who is paid to play football would say he is tired. "I'm fascinated to find out if he would have told the manager he was tired if it was a World Cup final. I don't think he would have said he was tired then. Was it because it was Estonia away? I'm not sure."
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