Unsurprisingly, all the talk around Raheem Sterling at the moment revolves around his part in Manchester City‘s controversial penalty against Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League.
The England international comically kicked the turf and took a tumble in the area during the Citizens’ 6-0 win over the Ukranian outfit but referee Viktor Kassai bizarrely pointed to the spot.
Sterling told BT Sport: “I went to chip the ball and I don’t know what happened next.
“I ended up on the floor and turned around. I don’t think I felt contact, it was just my bad.
“Apologies to the ref (Viktor Kassai) and apologies to Shakhtar.”
In his post-match press conference, City boss Pep Guardiola admitted “we realised immediately it was not a penalty”.
In light of the event, it’s easy to forget that Sterling was in top form and on the score sheet again as City bagged six goals in a game for the second time in four days.
The former Liverpool star registered two goals and two assists during City’s 6-1 demolition of Southampton on Sunday. That takes his tally in all competitions this season to seven goals and six assists. Sergio Aguero is the only Premier League player to manage more goal contributions so far (14).
It all points to the inescapable truth that Sterling has matured into one of the most effective English players in the game, even if that never quite came to the fore with the Three Lions at the World Cup in Russia.
Ever since Guardiola’s arrival in Manchester, Sterling’s game has been elevated to a whole new level. The sophistication in his play is there for all to see. He makes intelligent runs in behind but also drops into spaces cleverly and excels with his quick passing in the final third.
It’s almost as if Guardiola has removed the forward’s blinders and he can suddenly see the whole pitch with all the options and avenues available to him. Sterling had 22 goals and 12 assists in the Premier League and Champions League alone last season while he looks set to match that this term.
The one criticism that continues to haunt the 23-year-old though is that he has failed to deliver consistently in big matches with his poor record against the top six in the Premier League evidence of that.
In 43 league appearances against the likes of Manchester United, Chelsea, Tottenham, Arsenal and Liverpool, Sterling has only scored nine times with five of those strikes coming against Spurs.
Because he’s been around for so long though, people forget that he’s still a young player and perhaps only now entering his prime but this is an area he will want to begin improving in from now on.
He gets his first go at it this Sunday with the Manchester derby providing the stage and the Red Devils bringing the challenge – opposition against which he has never scored.
