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Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers says he does not think Raheem Sterling apparently inhaling laughing gas is a "distraction" but does not think it's something the forward should be doing.
Just days after allegedly being pictured smoking from a shisha pipe, video footage - obtained by The Sun newspaper - showed Sterling apparently inhaling nitrous oxide, or 'laughing gas' .
The video shows Sterling collapsing in his living room - the legal high has potentially fatal side effects.
Speaking after his side's 2-0 win over Newcastle, the Liverpool manager said it was not something he thought Sterling should be doing, but said that "young footballers make mistakes".
"I will speak to Raheem and we will deal with it internally. I don’t think the incident was a distraction for him, you saw the way he played – the kid is very strong minded, he should have had a hat-trick tonight and his performance was outstanding," he said.
Show all 24 1 /24Liverpool 2 Newcastle 0 player ratings Liverpool 2 Newcastle 0 player ratings LIVERPOOL: Simon Mignolet Pulled off an outstanding save to deny Perez an equaliser for Newcastle in the first half. 7
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Liverpool 2 Newcastle 0 player ratings Glen Johnson Handled Cabella with very little effort. More importantly for his side, however, he linked up with Henderson particularly well while going forward to assist in midfield. 6
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Liverpool 2 Newcastle 0 player ratings Emre Can Partnered Lovren very well but there’s still a feeling that he’d be better suited to a central midfield position. Either way, he held a strong line with the rest of his defence and rarely looked like being beaten on the counter. 6
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Liverpool 2 Newcastle 0 player ratings Dejan Lovren Very nearly gave away a penalty when it looked as though he had hacked down Perez as the striker ran into the Liverpool area. His performance did pick up in the second half especially when it came to defending set pieces. 6
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Liverpool 2 Newcastle 0 player ratings Alberto Moreno Positionally he was well disciplined. Used to pushing up when played as a wing back, he understood his job against Newcastle, which was to stay rooted as a conventional left-back. 7
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Liverpool 2 Newcastle 0 player ratings Lucas Leiva In the middle of Liverpool’s midfield. Kept the ball close and orchestrated a number of attacks. Thankfully he wasn’t hurt when Sissoko went in on him late in the last ten minutes. 8
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Liverpool 2 Newcastle 0 player ratings Jordan Henderson Assisted Sterling’s opener for Liverpool and delivered dangerous set pieces that Newcastle found difficult to defend. Drove forward with ease but also defended effectively as well. 7
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Liverpool 2 Newcastle 0 player ratings Joe Allen Scored his first Premier League at Anfield when he took advantage of a loose ball in the Newcastle penalty area. On the left of the three-man central midfield it was his job to feed Sterling while preventing Obertan from cutting inside. He did both very well. 8
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Liverpool 2 Newcastle 0 player ratings Jordon Ibe Repaced by Borini with 30 minutes remaining. What an exciting player he looks. Very bright when driving forward. He uses his pace to great effect but doesn’t forget about the craftsmanship a winger should have. 7
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Liverpool 2 Newcastle 0 player ratings Philippe Coutinho Nimble and creative yet again. Probably Liverpool’s most consistent player this season. Always seeking to unlock defences. 8
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Liverpool 2 Newcastle 0 player ratings Raheem Sterling A bit of a mixture. Took his goal beautifully but squandered in many cases what was the easier chance. Caused Newcastle’s defence problems with his close control and skill. 7
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Liverpool 2 Newcastle 0 player ratings From the bench: Fabio Borini Replaced Ibe but failed to do the same job as him. Went forward with intent but his final product was lacking the sufficient quality it needed to either trouble Krul or set up one of his teammates. 6
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Liverpool 2 Newcastle 0 player ratings NEWCASTLE: Tim Krul Made a crucial save to deny Lucas Leiva in the first half. Not much he could have done to stop Sterling’s effort finding its way into the back of his net. Beaten well by Allen, too. 6
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Liverpool 2 Newcastle 0 player ratings Ryan Taylor Horrendous performance by the right-back. Beaten far too easily by Sterling before the forward took the lead for Liverpool. Completely missed Henderson’s cross and thankfully for the defender Sterling couldn’t finish for a second time. 4
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Liverpool 2 Newcastle 0 player ratings Daryl Janmaat Looked assured at centre back but found himself covering for Taylor too often as the right-back pushed forward. That left Janmaat exposed. 6
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Liverpool 2 Newcastle 0 player ratings Mike Williamson Occasionally rash. For example, he could have been a little calmer when Liverpool countered quickly rather than choosing to launch the ball away at any given opportunity. Could be argued that he should of got closer to Allen when the midfielder scored Liverpool’s second goal. 5
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Liverpool 2 Newcastle 0 player ratings Vernon Anita Slotted in at left-back at endured a tough game as Ibe sought to demonstrate to everyone that his pace makes him a real threat. 6
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Liverpool 2 Newcastle 0 player ratings Jack Colback Alongside Abeid in the two holding midfield roles. His approach to dealing with Sterling was to get in quick and hard. It did work fairly well until Liverpool upped the tempo which drew fouls. 6
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Liverpool 2 Newcastle 0 player ratings Mehdi Abeid Pushed forward a little more in the second half as Newcastle started to chase the game with more urgency. He let himself down by standing off players such as Henderson too often rather than closing down and reducing the options. 6
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Liverpool 2 Newcastle 0 player ratings Moussa Sissoko Used his strength well in the battles with Lucas Leiva in particular. Didn’t always dispatch the ball quick enough when going forward, though. That contributed to many of Newcastle’s attacks breaking down. Sent off for a second bookable offence when he trod on Lucas Leiva’s leg. 6
Liverpool 2 Newcastle 0 player ratings Gabriel Obertan Should really be played up front with Perez but instead was played on the right as part of a three-man attacking midfield. He possesses pace but it’s his height and strength that are key to his game. Out wide he struggled to demonstrate that. Replaced by Gutierrez. 6
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Liverpool 2 Newcastle 0 player ratings Remy Cabella Usually so nimble and creative, but out on the left his influence on the game was severely reduced. Too many overhit passes, too. 5
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Liverpool 2 Newcastle 0 player ratings Ayoze Perez A real nuisance but such an exciting player to watch. His header in the second half forced a fantastic save from Mignolet. Definitely someone Newcastle should build a team around in the summer. 7
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Liverpool 2 Newcastle 0 player ratings From the bench: Jonas Gutierrez Made his 200th appearance for Newcastle when he came on to replace Obertan. Made little impact on proceedings. 6
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"For me it is not something he should be doing. We want players here who are super professional but we know too that young footballers make mistakes."
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