MANCHESTER, United Kingdom, Feb 2, 2020 (BSS/AFP) – Manchester City manager
Pep Guardiola is not concerned by a dramatic dip in form for Raheem Sterling
in recent weeks.
Sterling has not scored in six appearances this year, with his last goals
coming in City’s 3-2 defeat by Wolves on 27 December.
Last season’s football writers’ player of the year in England had a great
chance to break that duck as City progressed to the League Cup final against
Manchester United on Wednesday, but he shot over the bar after rounding
goalkeeper David de Gea.
However, Guardiola believes Sterling is still making a contribution with
his all-round game.
“Raheem defended incredibly well against (Aaron) Wan-Bissaka in the last
game and he had the clearest chances that no other player can create for
himself and unfortunately he could not score a goal,” said the Catalan.
“But he was there and so I am more than delighted with the performance he
made against United.
“A month ago, people were talking about his statistics, the goals, the
assists, but I always said that I was not just judging Raheem on those
points. It was important, but not the only one.”
Sterling has already scored 24 goals in 39 games this season for City and
England, but he has slowed down after a flying start in which he had 17 by
the end of October.
He has only missed two of City’s 24 Premier League games and so far escaped
injury, but Guardiola has no plans to take him out of the firing line.
“I don’t think he needs a rest,” added Guardiola.
“He is one of the guys who can recover quickest that I have ever met in my
career.
“He is incredible, he could play every two days and of course when he plays
regularly, the better he feels, but all the players feel that.”
– Mourinho ‘needs time’ –
Guardiola takes his team to Tottenham on Sunday in the Premier League where
he will face old adversary Jose Mourinho for the 23rd time in their
managerial careers.
They last met in a Manchester derby in November 2018 as Guardiola’s City
ran out convincing 3-1 winners over Mourinho’s United.
The Portuguese had left Old Trafford a month after that defeat and after
nearly a year out of the game, he replaced Mauricio Pochettino at Spurs in
November.
The 57-year-old has not had the convincing start he would have hoped for,
winning just eight out of 17 games in all competitions so far, but Guardiola
understands why it has not been smoother.
“I saw the last game against Southampton and I saw a team completely
alive,” added Guardiola, who has won 10 and drawn seven of his previous
meetings with Mourinho.
“They conceded a goal in the last few minutes but I saw a team that is
there.
“Every manager has different ideas. Pochettino was there for five years and
Mourinho has been there months, and every manager needs time to make the team
try to play in the way you want and maybe it’s still too early for him.”