Sterling is a spark to ignite City

MANCHESTER CITY seem to enjoy their best spells when Raheem Sterling is fit and firing.

Yesterday, for Pep Guardiola’s 700th career game as a manager, Sterling started his first league game for a month, ended a run of six matches without a goal and also became the first player since the Premier League started to win 20 penalties, this one converted by Kevin De Bruyne.

After a stuttering start to the season, this was more like the City we’ve come to love as they chalked up consecutive league victories for the first time this season, even if wasteful finishing meant they didn’t match last week’s 5-0 romp against Burnley.

While De Bruyne produced another midfield masterclass and Joao Cancelo provided an attacking threat from right-back, it was Sterling who added pace, aggression and penetration to the front line.

‘I saw positive things in the performance,’ said Guardiola. ‘I am more than happy with how we played against Porto and today. We created enough and we will improve, we know it.’

On his two star players, the City boss added: ‘Kevin is the first guy who helped us to be intense without the ball. We pushed him forward to make moments. He showed personality with the penalty and the pass to Raheem.

‘Raheem always tries for goals. I don’t have any doubts about what he has done so far. It is important for a striker to score a goal which he has done.’

‘City look ominous most weeks,’ admitted Fulham boss Scott Parker afterwards.

‘We were disappointed to go a goal down early on but my team showed courage for the way they stuck to it.

‘This City team can put you to the sword if they go a couple of goals up. There is no shame in losing.’

Breaking the deadlock early always helps and City did so after five minutes. Sterling latched on to a clever pass from De Bruyne and had time to slip a low finish into the corner.

They added a second after 26 minutes. Cancelo was again the instigator with a raid that allowed Sterling into the box and saw him clipped by Joachim Andersen as he tried to wriggle through.

It was the 20th Premier League penalty Sterling has earned, passing the record he had shared with Jamie Vardy at the start of play.

De Bruyne had missed his previous penalty, against Liverpool, but sent Areola the wrong way. It was City’s 400th league goal under Guardiola in his 162nd game — eclipsing Jurgen Klopp as the quickest manager to reach the milestone.

At 2-0, it was almost too easy for City and they were unable to add to the scoring thereafter.