City must find killer instinct, admits Sterling
bournemouth — Manchester City winger Raheem Sterling travels to Bournemouth on Saturday aiming to help his team find a much-needed lethal touch in front of goal.
Pep Guardiola’s side dominated their opening two games of the season, but in both their 2-0 win at Brighton and the 1-1 draw with Everton, City failed to turn territorial dominance into a deluge of goals.
Against Brighton, City had 78 per cent possession and 14 shots, scoring on two of them.
In the Everton clash, City enjoyed 65 per cent possession and 19 shots, but the only goal came from substitute Sterling.
“We’ve just got to be a bit more clinical. That’s what is missing. We’ve got to move on and go again,” Sterling said.
“We’re always up for the work. We always work for each other.
“It’s always great to see, when you go down to 10 men, the boys running and keeping the ball and attacking on all fronts. It’s a credit to the boys and the gaffer with his tactics.”
England international Sterling saved the day against Everton with a superb late equaliser.
But after scoring only seven times last season, he appears to face a tough battle if he is to win a regular place among a squad that has an embarrassment of attacking riches, on paper at least. Sterling admitted he needed to score the equaliser to make amends for an earlier error.
“I’m really disappointed,” he said. “I had a chance earlier before that and I’ve got to hit the target.
“Luckily I got a second chance and put it away but it is those vital moments that are going to count.
“If I get that chance again, we win the game. We’ve just got to be a bit more clinical. That’s what was missing so we have to move on and go again.” City will be without England full-back Kyle Walker against Bournemouth after his red card in the Everton draw, although Sterling suggested the second of his teammate’s two yellow cards was extremely harsh. —