Sunday 5 March 2017 16:12, UK
Leroy Sane thinks it is starting to click for him at Manchester City and credits Raheem Sterling with helping him find his true form.
The German winger struggled to hit the ground running following his £37m move from Schalke in the summer.
Injury setbacks were partly to blame for his slow start to life in Manchester but since regaining full fitness, he has excited onlookers with his performances in an attacking role on the left wing.
After scoring the opening goal and winning the man-of-the-match award in a 2-2 draw with Tottenham in January, Sane been a mainstay in a City side that has scored 21 goals in their last seven games - winning six of those, including against Monaco in the Champions League.
Sane thinks he is starting to find his best form for Pep Guardiola and admits Sterling, who also has impressed in recent weeks, has helped him settle in.
"At some stage it just clicked for me," he told Sky Sports ahead of City's clash with Sunderland on Nissan Super Sunday.
"I have understood the league and how the players play here, how the league works here. That is why I think I have got used to it and played better and better and got a real feel for it and then I just played the way I like to play and felt really good about it.
"I actually think a lot of players have helped me, especially Sterling. He has spoken to me and said 'continue to believe in yourself, you're young, you have time, you will get your games'.
"The same with Pablo Zabaleta he said to me 'keep going, work hard on your game.'
"I think that the whole team has always believed in me rather than believe in me, what I mean is they have helped me a lot in training they have always said 'keep going', they have helped me a lot in training."
Sane earned the reputation as one of the hottest prospects in world football in the Bundesliga with Schalke. He made 42 appearances for the club last season, scoring nine goals and also broke into the Germany national side and was a member of their squad at Euro 2016.
Like Sane, Henrikh Mkhitaryan also moved from the Bundesliga this summer to Manchester to play for United and struggled to adapt in the first part of the season before finding his feet after Christmas.
"There is definitely a big difference from the Bundesliga to the Premier League, it is completely different and that is why I think we need a bit of time in the beginning to get used to the league," Sane said.
"I don't think it has taken too long, I think that is why things are going really well for Mkhitaryan, because I know from the Bundesliga that he is a very, very good player."
City are still challenging on three fronts in Guardiola's first season in England, although a tilt at the Premier League title looks a tall order as Chelsea sit 11 points clear.
Sane believes the future is exciting with Guardiola at the helm.
"He will make me a more complete player, that he will teach me a lot," he said.
"He wants to see me play offensive football, and he likes the way that I play. That affected me in a positive way and made me happy and of course I was very happy that he called me in person and that he relayed the message that he wants to, yes, have me and that I should transfer to City."
Watch the full interview with Leroy Sane in the build-up to Sunderland v Manchester City. Super Sunday coverage starts from 12.30pm with Tottenham v Everton up first.
