Guardiola keeps his faith in Sterling service
Despite his recent goal drought, striker brings so much more to Manchester City, writes Mike McGrath
Ask those who work closely with Raheem Sterling and they will say he would play a full 90 minutes every day, if allowed. Pep Guardiola is a little more conservative, but suggests he could cope with a game every couple of days. The Manchester City manager is adamant Sterling’s seven-game goal drought – his longest in three years – is not down to burnout despite his heavy workload.
Guardiola says he does not judge Sterling purely on goals and assists, which have dried up in the past month, but concedes the England forward thrives on the rhythm of regular matches.
“He is one of the only guys I’ve met in my career with recovery quicker than I’ve seen before,” said Guardiola. “It’s incredible. He could play every two days and of course the more he plays regularly, the better and better he feels. All the players feel that.”
Sterling has played 265 games for club and country since arriving at the Etihad Stadium almost five years ago, more than Harry Kane in the same period. He is approaching 100 games since returning from the World Cup and is experiencing a rare downturn in form for someone whose consistency has made him Gareth Southgate’s senior attacker in the absence of Kane with a ruptured hamstring.
Guardiola has put Sterling among his substitutes in four of City’s past eight games, which may give the 25-year-old a breather but brings its own problems. When he comes off the bench he is too eager to affect matches, so his natural game is slightly altered.
Take the midweek defeat by Manchester United. He raced through on goal, but tried to take the ball around David De Gea. In the same situation a month ago against Wolves he finished effortlessly.
“Every player needs to play regularly,” Guardiola said. “They have to train and be ready for the minutes we give them. And he was. He defended brilliantly against [Aaron] Wan-Bissaka in the last game and had clear chances that no other player can create for themselves.
“Unfortunately he could not score a goal but he was there, so I am more than delighted with the performance against United because the people with statistics with goals and assists say it has been a month, but I am not judging Raheem just for that. It is important, but not the only thing.”
Sterling started the season picking up where he left off as the 2019 Football Writers’ Association player of the year, with 18 goals in 20 games for City and England.
City’s season spun on its axis at Anfield. Victory would have put them within three points of Liverpool but the 3-1 defeat produced a nine-point gap that has only grown.
Sterling finished clashing with Joe Gomez, with the bad blood spilling over when they were on England duty.
His last goals came at Wolves a month ago, but Nuno Espirito Santo’s team came from 2-0 down to win 3-2.
Guardiola is now referring to a top-four finish being the goal in the Premier League rather than the title, and his team would move a step closer with victory at Tottenham today.
The Spaniard faces Jose Mourinho, who accused City of lacking class when they were filmed for an Amazon documentary. The Spurs manager is now subject to the same scrutiny having joined his club midway through their own series being filmed.
“I’ve been here for four seasons. It is a club with very, very good things and we also make mistakes,” said Guardiola. “But I think it is a team, a club and an organisation that is working incredibly well in many, many, many things.
“I think he said that for what happened at Old Trafford [in the documentary], one specific action, not because every club can do whatever he wants.
“Maybe the club Manchester City is not well known around the world like United, or Liverpool, or Barcelona or Madrid, so the people here saw it as a way of showing who you are as a club and organisation all around the world.
“I am the guy who speaks more through the club and always try to show incredible respect for our opponents, with a lot of class.”