Sterling proves good investment for Liverpool

Raheem Sterling scored the only goal as Liverpool's 1-0 win over Reading on Saturday gave Brendan Rodgers a first home victory in the Premier League since taking over at Anfield in the close-season.The Reds have struggled in front of their own fans all year and this was just a third victory in all competitions at Anfield in 2012.Sterling, 17, provided the decisive impact with just under half an hour gone to become the club's second youngest scorer in Premier League history after Michael Owen.Brian McDermott's Reading are still looking for their first Premier League victory of the season.Rodgers suffered yet more injury problems during the international break, with goalkeeper Pepe Reina and striker Fabio Borini both suffering knocks.Reina's absence, after sustaining a hamstring problem with Spain, meant that Australian Brad Jones made his first Premier League start for the club while Borini was also absent.Reading striker Jason Roberts stuck to his word and refused to wear a 'Kick racism out of football' T-shirt during the warm-up in protest at the campaign group's handling of recent racism issues.Three other Reading players, including Jobi McAnuff, joined the veteran striker but it was unclear whether they were making a similar protest.When the action started, there was the familiar pattern of the Reds controlling possession without hurting their opposition.Employed at left-back, Glen Johnson, who did well to head away with Shaun Cummings set to pounce at the far post in the early stages, was the home team's best attacking weapon.He was bundled off the ball in the area by Cummings when making one early surge and also laid on another opening for Sterling.Sterling was also denied by a fine block from Adrian Mariappa after fine work down the left flank by Luis Suarez.And the winger finally worked Alex McCarthy when he cut in and shot straight at the Reading goalkeeper from just outside the area.Suarez also went close when he latched on to a loose ball on the edge of the box and saw his lob land on the roof of the net.Mikele Leigertwood drove over from 20 yards as Reading made a rare forward move.After Nuri Sahin set Sterling free down the left flank he got on the end of the winger's cross but shot over after being impeded by Steven Gerrard.But the hosts moved ahead in the 29th minute when Suarez played a neat through-ball and Sterling raced through and guided a firm shot past McCarthy.There was no change after the interval as another neat passing move created the space for Sterling to again be thwarted by McCarthy before Johnson sliced wide from the edge of the box.A poor clearance from McCarthy gave Suarez and opening but the goalkeeper made up for his error with a fine block from the Uruguayan.At the other end substitute Garath McCleary raced on to a long pass and was denied by a fine block by Jones, who also pushed away a powerful curling effort from McAnuff.Daniel Agger had an effort blocked and Johnson also had a shot pushed wide of the near post by McCarthy as Liverpool struggled to find a second.Suarez was guilty of another desperate miss from 10 yards after he was picked out by a cross from substitute Jose Enrique.Nicky Shorey forced another save from Jones with a bending free-kick but the Reds held on to take the points.

Source: AFP