Wednesday 17 August 2016 18:45, UK
He endured a frustrating first season at Manchester City and struggled for England at Euro 2016, but Raheem Sterling already looks like a key player for Pep Guardiola. Nick Wright examines his bright start to the campaign after City's 5-0 thrashing of Steaua Bucharest.
No one emerged from England's disastrous Euro 2016 campaign with any credit, but few had to contend with as much criticism as Raheem Sterling. The winger went into the tournament having failed to live up to his £49m price-tag at Manchester City, and his underwhelming performances in France made him an easy target for the critics.
Sterling branded himself 'the hated one' after he was booed by England supporters, and as the storm raged around him during the off-season, it was reasonable to wonder whether it might take some time for him to recover. A player who tormented defenders at Liverpool seemed to have regressed, and his future looked cloudy ahead of the new campaign.
Under Pep Guardiola, though, Sterling has grasped a new lease of life. City's new head coach phoned Sterling to offer him encouragement during Euro 2016, and at his first press conference a few weeks later, he commented on how much he was looking forward to working with the 21-year-old.
Sterling has responded perfectly to Guardiola's arm-around-the-shoulder approach. He started the season knowing he faced fresh competition for a starting spot from new signings Nolito, Leroy Sane and Oleksandr Zinchenko, but he has hit the ground running and already looks like a key player having played the full 90 minutes in each of City's first two games.
Guardiola described his performance in the 2-1 win over Sunderland on Saturday as "amazing". Sterling drew the foul from Patrick van Aanholt for City's penalty after just four minutes at the Etihad Stadium, and there was work-rate as well as quality. Sterling has immediately adapted to Guardiola's high-pressing system, with only Sergio Aguero making more sprints against Sunderland.
There was more evidence that he is getting back to his best in City's 5-0 demolition of Steaua Bucharest on Tuesday night. Sterling started on the right-hand side of their attack again, and given licence to drift into the centre, he was at the heart of their thrilling attacking performance.
For the second successive game, Sterling's pace and agility earned Guardiola's side an early penalty. Aguero could not make it count as his effort was saved, but Sterling tore into Steaua again a few minutes later, stealing the ball from centre-back Alin Tosca deep in the hosts' half before cutting back onto his left foot and selflessly teeing up David Silva to score the opener.
Winning the ball high up the pitch and transitioning instantly to attack is exactly what Guardiola demands from his attacking players, and Sterling's contribution in that regard is unlikely to have gone unnoticed. Only two City players gained possession more times than him against Sunderland (six), and his total was second only to Aleksandar Kolarov's against Steaua (eight).
Sterling provided his second assist of the night when he cushioned Nolito's cross into Aguero's path for City's second goal shortly before half-time, and there was more praise from Guardiola at the final whistle. "He's a fantastic player," said the City boss. "He's fast, has a good work ethic, can play right or left, go out to the line or go in the middle."
Sterling is showing the kind of adaptability Guardiola craves, and his off-the-ball work shows he is embracing his new manager's methods. Having only started 29 Premier League and Champions League games for City last season, he is doing everything he can to nail down his place in the new regime.
The biggest change in Sterling is his confidence. His average number of dribbles fell from 3.0 per game in his last year at Liverpool to 1.3 per game in his first season at the Etihad Stadium as he struggled to impose himself in his new surroundings, but he is playing to his strengths again under Guardiola - carrying the ball forward with purpose and taking on defenders at every opportunity.
Only Eden Hazard made more than his six dribbles in the first weekend of Premier League action, and there were four more successful take-ons against Steaua. It gives him an average of five per game, and while it's a small sample size, it's also a sure sign of a player rediscovering what he does best under a manager who trusts him.
City will be hoping it continues. Sterling has endured a testing 12 months for club and country, but his bright start to the season is a reminder of how he became a £49m player in the first place. Guardiola will be confident that his best is yet to come.
