Alan Shearer now feels Raheem Sterling's final four weeks will decide the destiny of the Premier League title.
So good is the Manchester City star's form that he is now the main man in the championship race according to the former England captain.
Shearer was so impressed by his double against Crystal Palace on Sunday after he blew an early chance.
Now the Newcastle legend thinks there's a good chance the former Liverpool player will haunt his old club, he writes in his column in The Sun .
Shearer said: "Mo Salah scored a wonder-goal and is returning to form for Livepool at just the right time.
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"But it’s Sterling who is in a two-horse race for player of the season with Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk.
"The amount he has grown and matured this campaign is incredibly impressive and he will be desperate to get his side across the line this time.
"Sterling missed a sitter at Crystal Palace before his first goal, but there was no way he was going to let that be the defining moment in the match.
"The two that he scored were much more difficult chances and tells you where he is mentally.
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"A few years ago you could see he was dwelling on those missed chances, but not now. He’s a massive player for City - and England for that matter.
"When you look at the strength of City’s squad, it would be natural for players to be rested and rotated.
"But in the main he’s been Pep Guardiola’s go-to guy."
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Shearer added: "He’s standing up to every challenge on and off the pitch.
The way he has dealt with issues around racism, the way he has conducted himself this season is an example to all."
On the title race, he wrote: "City have the tougher fixtures, no doubt, with two games now against Spurs (one in the Champions League) and Manchester United just a few days after.
"But football is not played on paper, you have to go and win it. Big players, big games."
