Raheem Sterling changed game vs Bournemouth, says Pep Guardiola
Man City beat Bournemouth 3-1 to remain unbeaten in the Premier League
Saturday 1 December 2018 19:13, UK
Pep Guardiola hailed Raheem Sterling for injecting life into Manchester City's limp display during their 3-1 victory over Bournemouth.
Despite City making it six straight Premier League wins, they were sluggish in the first half at the Etihad and went in level after Callum Wilson cancelled out Bernardo Silva's opener.
Sterling sprung into life after the break, beating five defenders with a brilliant run, only to see his shot deflect onto the post, before pouncing on a loose ball to make it 2-1 before Ilkay Gundogan added the third.
"In the first half Raheem was not involved and in the second half he changed the game," Guardiola told Sky Sports.
"I'm very pleased because we needed to win that. Sometimes people, when you win three or four against a side, people start to think how easy it is.
"In the first half it was flat, a lack of rhythm. We are good when we're playing one way, the other way everyone can beat us.
"But in the second half the action from Raheem and Fabian Delph helped us to take our rhythm, and the second half was much better."
The City boss felt his side's Champions League exploits against Lyon in midweek contributed to their lacklustre first half, despite making five changes.
"Because we play every three days. We travelled in the Champions League and came back and sometimes it's complicated," he added.
"Because the opponents are good too, so that is what it is. So that's why in this team everyone has to learn that and everyone knows you can be tired, but always be ready to do that."
