Roy Hodgson risks Premier League WRATH by allowing Raheem Sterling international break

ROY HODGSON has risked antagonising Liverpool's Premier League rivals by agreeing to release Raheem Sterling after Friday's Euro 2016 qualifier with Lithuania.

England will allow the winger, who has been playing with a toe injury for which he has received injections, to miss next week's trip to Turin for the friendly with Italy.

Sterling, 20, will make his 50th appearance of the season if he starts against Lithuania at a sold-out Wembley.

That an agreement is already in place will raise eyebrows among Liverpool's Premier League opponents, who would look for their own players to be treated favourably ahead of the resumption of the domestic programme.

Hodgson could upset the Liverpool's rivals by allowing Sterling time off

Liverpool travel to Arsenal on April 4 for a pivotal game in their chase for a Champions League place as they seek to recover from the disappointment of Sunday's reverse to Manchester United. Arsenal's Danny Welbeck, Theo Walcott and Kieran Gibbs are in the squad.

Hodgson sparked a simmering row with Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers in October when he revealed he had put Sterling on the bench against Estonia after the player had "complained of tiredness".

Sterling trained with England yesterday at St George's Park and has already seen Liverpool team-mates Daniel Sturridge and Adam Lallana withdraw from international duty due to hip and groin injuries respectively. Both players are expected to be fit for the visit to The Emirates.