Anything Sane can do, Sterling can do better as City run riot
Soccer Football - Premier League - Manchester City vs Crystal Palace - Etihad Stadium, Manchester, Britain - September 23, 2017 Manchester City's Fabian Delph scores their first goal Action Images via Reuters/Jason Cairnduff
LONDON (Reuters) - With a myriad of attacking options at his disposal, Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola is spoilt for choice and the Spaniard allowed himself the luxury of leaving Gabriel Jesus on the bench for Saturday's 5-0 home win over Crystal Palace.
Seeing such talent on the sidelines can spur on those given a starting berth and so it proved as Leroy Sane netted a superb opener –- the German's second fine goal of the week after his stunner against West Bromwich Albion in the League Cup on Wednesday.
Soccer Football - Premier League - Manchester City vs Crystal Palace - Etihad Stadium, Manchester, Britain - September 23, 2017 Manchester City's Fabian Delph celebrates scoring their fifth goal with teammates REUTERS/Phil Noble
Not be outdone, up stepped Raheem Sterling and before the hour mark he had scored twice to take his season's tally to five Premier League goals –- two fewer than he managed all last season.
Sterling possesses many facets to his game, and has the ability to become one of England’s leading lights, but he had not really taken off at Manchester until Saturday.
“Last season (Sterling) played awesome, he played really good,” Guardiola said in late August. “But for Liverpool, he played an outstanding season (2013-14) with Luis Suarez and the others.”
Soccer Football - Premier League - Manchester City vs Crystal Palace - Etihad Stadium, Manchester, Britain - September 23, 2017 Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson looks dejected after the match REUTERS/Phil Noble
No City player completed more sprints than Sane’s 66 against Palace at the Etihad but 48 from Sterling, despite him coming off in the 59th minute, is also mightily impressive. Only Kyle Walker reached a faster top speed for City.
With Sergio Aguero at the top of his game once more, and Jesus back to full fitness and firing on all cylinders, City have a potent attack that most teams simply cannot handle.
“Last season we had a lot of problems at home winning games," said Guardiola after Saturday's win. "That's why the last two games are so important -- winning 5-0 against Liverpool and Crystal Palace -- for our confidence and for the other games when we come back from the international break."
Soccer Football - Premier League - Manchester City vs Crystal Palace - Etihad Stadium, Manchester, Britain - September 23, 2017 Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson shakes hands with Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola after the game Action Images via Reuters/Jason Cairnduff
The home fixtures which follow a tough trip to Chelsea next Saturday are against Stoke and Burnley -– teams who could be expected to fear City’s forward line in this mood.
The challenge for the 22-year-old Sterling especially is to maintain Saturday's level. Should his performance drop, there is plenty of talent waiting in the wings.
Soccer Football - Premier League - Manchester City vs Crystal Palace - Etihad Stadium, Manchester, Britain - September 23, 2017 Crystal Palace's Scott Dann and Luka Milivojevic look dejected after the match REUTERS/Phil Noble
(Editing by Clare Fallon)
Soccer Football - Premier League - Manchester City vs Crystal Palace - Etihad Stadium, Manchester, Britain - September 23, 2017 Manchester City's Benjamin Mendy and David Silva in action with Crystal Palace's Andros Townsend REUTERS/Phil Noble Soccer Football - Premier League - Manchester City vs Crystal Palace - Etihad Stadium, Manchester, Britain - September 23, 2017 Manchester City's Raheem Sterling scores their third goal Action Images via Reuters/Jason Cairnduff Soccer Football - Premier League - Manchester City vs Crystal Palace - Etihad Stadium, Manchester, Britain - September 23, 2017 Manchester City's Raheem Sterling scores their second goal Action Images via Reuters/Jason Cairnduff Soccer Football - Premier League - Manchester City vs Crystal Palace - Etihad Stadium, Manchester, Britain - September 23, 2017 Manchester City's David Silva reacts REUTERS/Phil Noble Soccer Football - Premier League - Manchester City vs Crystal Palace - Etihad Stadium, Manchester, Britain - September 23, 2017 Manchester City's Benjamin Mendy and David Silva in action with Crystal Palace's Andros Townsend REUTERS/Phil Noble
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