Sterling gets early warning that Anfield image is tarnished

ALL it took was 37 seconds. From Manchester City’s kick-off the ball took just over half-a-minute to reach Raheem Sterling — who promptly found himself face down in Anfield’s turf.

Sometimes you know from the first attack how a match will pan out for one of its key protagonists and back at the place he used to call home, Sterling would have realised this was not going to be a comfortable experience.

He should have known what to expect. When Liverpool last played host to City, on March 2 last year, Sterling — returning for the first time following his £44million sale — was put into orbit by a John Flanagan tackle that sent Anfield into a frenzy.

There was nothing so rudimentary about the tackle from James Milner that deposited Sterling on the floor this time but the tone had been set.

Much has been made of the impact Pep Guardiola has had on the England winger since he arrived at the Etihad Stadium. He made an electrifying start to the campaign, scoring goals, providing assists and looking the player who, when he was 19, was named Europe’s Golden Boy.

Guardiola had given him freedom and encouraged him to be spontaneous, to use his speed and strength. He saw a player who could become a potent weapon and Sterling, in turn, saw a manager who was prepared to give him the responsibility he craved.

Sterling’s ability is not in question but how was he going to cope with the responsibility of taking a wrecking ball to Liverpool’s ambitions? Could he do it? Could he cope with the intensity, the pressure and the aggression? Had this been anywhere else, such questions wouldn’t have been asked. Playing against Liverpool, though, appears to cause him problems. During the League Cup final last February, Sterling squandered a glorious chance to make it 2-0, missing an open goal. Three days later in the Premier League, he was substituted after 45 minutes.

So here he was again. Milner wanted to test the young man’s mettle. How would he respond? The answer was not very well.

He barely saw the ball in the first 20 minutes and his most significant contribution was a sliced cross.

It was clear what Guardiola wanted City to do, with Sterling and David Silva being asked to stand on Liverpool’s full-backs and form part of a four-pronged attack but the English winger couldn’t get on the ball. Milner swamped him.

The first half ended with Sterling remonstrating with referee Craig Pawson, bemoaning the fact that a corner had been given when he went for a ball with Liverpool’s Ragnar Klavan.

His complaints fell on deaf ears and TV replays showed why. He got the last touch.

Once again, he was mocked by those who once gave him their backing but with 45 minutes to go there was still time for Sterling to have the last laugh. Surely City would improve?

But they didn’t. Sterling scampered and scurried and never went missing, trying his hardest to get on to the end of a pass from Yaya Toure but a volley into the side netting was as good as it got. He probably knew that would be so after 37 seconds.