Sterling was a good investment

AT the start of last season I said Raheem Sterling wasn’t a £50million player. It wasn’t that I was being critical of City paying that money nor of the player, who didn’t set the fee. You could see what City were buying: potential. It was the possibility that Sterling would become that kind of player.

But in that market — and 16 months ago already seems quite dated — £50m should have bought a ready-made star, scoring at least 15 goals a season. I always hoped he would become that. You could see that he might do. Only he could deliver on that promise, though. So now that he is hitting those heights, it’s time to acknowledge just what he has done.

In a hugely talented, multi-national side there is a young Englishman not just holding his own but integral to their attacking movement — and who’s winning games.

Those 13 goals this season are the biggest improvement in his game.

The fact that so many have been match-winning late goals is just as important. He also looks to be playing with some of the freedom he had under Brendan Rodgers in 2014 at a time when he had nothing to fear. His targets now? Ensure this form continues throughout the season, so that he is a player of the year contender; and take a step up for England to deliver in the World Cup. WATCHING Liverpool on Wednesday was a joy. The ‘fab four’ of Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino, Philippe Coutinho and Mohamed Salah are just as good as City’s forward line. Their waves of attack are based more on the counter-attack than pure possession, but at hitting you on the break they are probably the best in the Premier League. In fact it’s all rather reminiscent of Brendan Rodgers’ team of 2013-14. But it begs the question: more than two years since Rodgers was sacked and Jurgen Klopp appointed, how is it that the defence has barely improved?