Pep gives Sterling City lift-off

Alam Khan - Reporter 10:28 29/08/2016
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  • Sterling has enjoyed an impressive start to the season.

    Two goals and four assists in four games have highlighted the England international’s impressive start to the season.

    And while Guardiola refuses to take credit for the 21-year-old’s resurgence, there is a marked difference in Sterling’s confidence and performances after a difficult first season at the club following his £49 million move from Liverpool a year ago.

    “I’m enjoying my football, enjoying winning games and working hard to continue doing that,” he told Sport360 before joining England for their 2018 World Cup qualifier with Slovakia under new boss Sam Allardyce.

    “I didn’t come into the season thinking ‘I want to show everyone’ but just to concentrate on my football, that’s the most important thing. People will talk and stuff like that, but the most important thing for me was to come in and do well under the new manager and impress here. I knew if I kept working hard I would get my chances.

    “This is the season you will see me working my hardest that’s for sure.”

    After an 11th goal of the campaign against Aston Villa in March, Sterling was surprisingly sidelined by Manuel Pellegrini for the run-in, a substitute in both Champions League semi-final ties with Real Madrid.

    raheem sterling
    He was then part of the England side that flopped at Euro 2016, upset by Iceland in the last 16.

    But while some stars, including compatriot Joe Hart, did not fit into Guardiola’s future plans after he replaced Pellegrini,

    Sterling was buoyed by words of encouragement and a starting role.

    “It was a big lift,” he added.

    “The manager’s been in the game a long time, won stuff, worked with young players, worked with great players and I think he knows how to get the best out of his players and he’s been a massive help. But not just for me, but the whole team.”It’s good to have a manager that not just talks to me, but makes the whole team feel really welcome, makes everyone feel they are all one, whether you are starting or not. Everyone’s hungry, everyone’s ready to run for him and play for him.

    “He will bring the best out of the whole team, not just me. He will definitely push everyone to do better.

    “It’s a challenge, yeah. He puts his system into play, likes a certain way to play and when everyone is working hard together it’s a plus and you get the rewards for it,” the 21-year-old said.

    “Every day I’m learning, last year learning, it was a massive learning curve for me.

    “It’s something that I will definitely take into every season with me to remember that sort of stuff and just to move forward from it.

    “Sometimes you do well and sometimes you are not at your best. It’s part and parcel of the game. I just made a promise, something that I said to myself that when I come back at the start of this season I am going to work hard and try to be as consistent as I can.”

    A brace in Sunday’s 3-1 Premier League win over West Ham saw Guardiola praise his ‘dynamic’ efforts as City moved alongside Chelsea and Manchester United, who they next face on September 10, at the top of the table.

    Their first-half display was dazzling and slick attacking moves were reminiscent of Guardiola’s old Barcelona side.

    “The manager’s got his style and obviously coached Barcelona and he’s trying to put his football into play and at times you can see that,” the former Liverpool star said.

    “It’s exciting and some things we need to work on, but as the season goes on we will just get better and better. We are hungry, ready and pushing to win the games.”

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