RAHEEM WON’T NEED A PEP TALK
Sterling is so confident of ending drought and hitting first goal of year
PEP GUARDIOLA is confident Raheem Sterling can break the grip of a goal drought which has seen him draw a blank this year.
Sterling last found the net against Wolves back on December 27.
But Guardiola maintained that despite a hot streak – which saw him score in 13 out of 20 outings for club and country in the first half of the season – running cold, Sterling’s confidence levels remain undimmed.
“Raheem is incredibly positive in the fact he misses one chance and tries again,” said City boss Guardiola.
“He has been injured as well and sometimes you need more time but he’s coming back.
“I don’t worry about these things. It’s like Ederson at Manchester United – it happens.
“But the guys who suffer, the most important thing is that they have been supported or we at least try to let them feel that we are here for them.
“Sometimes you speak with them and sometimes they understand what they have to do.”
Sterling (right) missed two Premier League games with a hamstring injury sustained in the defeat at Tottenham early last month and has taken time to get back up to speed.
He also caused some unease at City with the timing of an interview with a Spanish newspaper five days before the Champions League clash at the Bernabeu. In it, Sterling was pictured with a Real Madrid shirt draped across his shoulder (below) accompanying flirtatious comments about a possible future in La Liga.
All will be forgotten if Sterling can reconnect with his early-season form as City approach the business end of the season with the FA Cup and Champions League at the head of the priorities. And there would be no better time to rediscover his touch than against Arsenal tonight as Mikel Arteta makes his first return to the Etihad as Gunners’ boss.
Guardiola admits his former assistant will return with intimate knowledge of City’s weaknesses given his three years as his right-hand man.
“He has more information about us than I have about them,” added Guardiola.
“It’s normal after a huge amount of hours working together, he knows every player and the way we play.
“I can imagine the way he’ll press high.”