Guardiola: Sterling will get even better
PEP GUARDIOLA warned that Raheem Sterling still has gears to motor through as the forward continues his charge to become one of the world’s best players. Sterling came off the bench with Manchester City struggling to break down Dinamo Zagreb last night, scoring within 10 minutes of his introduction.
The England international has now hit 41 goals for club and country in the last 12 months and Guardiola believes he has more to give. ‘In a few years he’ll be a better player than today,’ Guardiola said. ‘The feeling we had when we arrived is that he played good but it was like he didn’t care. Now his movement is there. He can still improve his finishing. Raheem is a player that with a cross he is always there. He has this talent. Always there, he has that feeling.’ Sterling also grabbed the assist as 19-year-old midfielder Phil Foden — another substitute — notched City’s second in stoppage time.
Guardiola was again forced to defend his treatment of Foden. ‘He deserves to play,’ the City boss said. ‘I want to give him minutes. Every time I don’t play him I’m so sorry. The best way to grow up is to play minutes. He is so young. ‘I don’t know how many players in that age played his minutes. He’s going to be an incredibly important player in the future.’
Foden said: ‘You have to show the manager what you can do each day in training. Every kid wants to play but you have to be patient.’ Sterling believes Foden’s future lies alongside him in the England team once he is given an extended run in the City team.
‘I am buzzing for Phil and I want him in the national team. If he keeps going he will be there,’ Sterling said. ‘The players who we have here, you have to read the game and the goals will come.’
Guardiola confirmed that Kevin De Bruyne’s groin injury may keep him out of Sunday’s Premier League clash with Wolves.
He refused to be drawn on the performance of Dutch referee Serdar Gozubuyuk. City were denied at least two penalties and Guardiola was cautioned for his protests. The Catalan did hint that poor decisions were a theme. ‘This season, what I’m delighted with the most is that nobody gave us anything,’ he said. ‘We did it for ourselves.’