Pep insists he trusts Sterling but fears his wonder winger is in the grip of a crisis of confidence

PEP GUARDIOLA insists he still trusts Raheem Sterling – but has told the Manchester City winger he cannot help him rediscover his confidence.

Sterling, once an automatic pick for City, has started just two of their last eight games and could be back on the bench for today’s FA Cup semi-final against Chelsea at Wembley. Guardiola explained Sterling’s recent absence from the starting line-up was down to the exceptional form of Phil Foden and Riyad Mahrez, who are keeping him out of the side.

But Guardiola hinted at his confidence having taken a hit and told the England winger he must find the belief within him to get back to the level where he is a first-choice pick. “The trust with Raheem is intact,” said Guardiola. “He’s only played less because Phil and Riyad have been playing at a top level.

“They’re scoring goals and being so decisive in the final third. The confidence? He has to have it, he has it from all of us, because the quality is there.

“But I cannot give the players confidence, they have to have it for themselves. “For me to give confidence is to select them. Raheem has a lot of experience and with what we’ve done these incredible years, he was a key player. But at this moment Phil and Riyad are playing really good. That’s the only reason why and they know it.

“In the last eight games, he’s played two, but I couldn’t care less about that. “I care about today’s training session and about how you behave, your understanding, your body language, your mood. Against Chelsea, in the semi-final – that’s where they have to talk. “The bigger stars want to criticise their managers? Okay, you talk, no problem.

“In three days you have another game. Show me and then after I will come to you and say, ‘Oh f*** how wrong I was – you were right and you’re a top talent.’

“The greatest are like this. They go there and score two or three goals. They show it. That’s the only way I know in my career, knowing I’m here to support them all the time.”

Ahead of today’s showdown with Chelsea, Guardiola hailed City’s 3-1 win at Stamford Bridge on January 3 as the key moment in a season that could yet yield an historic Quadruple. “It was the turning point of our season, definitely,” said Guardiola.

“With 14 players available, a lot injured and with Covid, that was the moment we believed, ‘If we can do it there, we can do it every day.’ “The Chelsea game made us feel like we could do it, like we have done in previous seasons.”