Pep Guardiola conducted much of his pre-match briefing for Manchester City’s Sunday trip to Liverpool in a relaxed and sometimes jovial mood.
But when it came to questions over the performances and value of Raheem Sterling to the City cause, he was at pains to offer fulsome praise to his under-fire forward.
“Raheem played really good as a striker at PSG, created incredible space, he created one special clear chance,” he said, referring to Tuesday's defeat in Paris where City failed to find the net for a third time this season with Sterling in the starting line-up.
The England star’s only other start of 2021/22 came in the 6-1 Carabao Cup win over Wycombe Wanderers.
Nevertheless, despite City’s and Sterling’s own lack of goals when he has featured of late, Guardiola was keen to outline the 26-year-old's specific qualities within a forward line lacking a regular focal point.
“If we need a guy who runs in behind from right to left, Raheem is the best we have in our squad," he said.
"As a striker, I always have the sense that his movements create something for himself in front of the goal.
“Like Ferran, both are so good making movements in behind.”
Ferran Torres, tagged on to the end of the answer in prase of Sterling could very well end up having a more significant role to play on Sunday.
At Anfield in February Sterling was electrifying - winning a penalty, scoring a cathartic goal and running the bedraggled players representing his former club to distraction.
When he netted in an FA Cup tie against Swansea City the following midweek, Sterling had four in four games and five in his previous six.
He would only score twice more in club colours for the rest of the campaign. In his past 30 City appearances across all competitions, he has two goals.
For all Sterling’s vast capabilities - they were abundantly clear during his brilliant England Euro 2020 form that serves as a jarring filling in this sandwich of City stasis - those are not numbers that suggest he should be entrusted with leading the attack before a hostile Kop.
The expected course of action for Guardiola on Merseyside, as has been the case in most big games in 2021, is to select a false nine, most likely Phil Foden or Kevin De Bruyne, at the tip of his attack.
In City’s first four Premier League games of the season, Ferran played at centre-forward. The 21-year-old Spain star scored twice in the 5-0 demolition of Arsenal and impressed with his growing capabilities and instincts as a more conventional number nine.
"In this position he makes a movement like the best strikers in behind, moving incredibly well. His movement is similar to Jamie Vardy, “Guardiola said after the Arsenal match, although he has since tried to row back a touch on the lofty Vardy comparison.
As immaculate as City were for large periods in their 1-0 win at Chelsea last weekend, it is impossible to imagine Liverpool being as passive as Thomas Tuchel’s men and being willing to watch the champions paint pretty passing patterns around them.
Roared on by the Anfield faithful, Klopp’s men will attack. Their average of allowing opponents 9.9 passes per defensive action (PPDA) is the lowest in the Premier League this season, as per Opta.
This shows they press high and hard, with the high defensive line that accompanies such tactics a feature of their play.
There will be space in behind for City to exploit on Sunday and it felt telling for Guardiola to focus on that aspect of attacking strategy.
If he picks a centre-forward to make direct runs and stretch the Liverpool defence, current form clearly shows that man should be Ferran Torres and not Raheem Sterling.
Do you think Ferran Torres should start against Liverpool and can Raheem Sterling turn his City slump around? Follow the City Is Ours editor Dom Farrell on Twitter to get involved in the discussion and give us your thoughts in the comments section below.
