Aaron Wan-Bissaka recalled the Manchester derbies when he was asked for his toughest opponent as a Manchester United player.
The 22-year-old has impressed since his switch from Crystal Palace last summer and on the back of his form for his new club earned a first senior call-up with the England team. With 26 Premier League appearances in one of the meanest defences in the country, Wan-Bissaka has stepped up comfortably to the demands at Old Trafford.
Some opposition players have given him more trouble than most, though, and Manchester City forward Raheem Sterling sprang to mind when considering his hardest games this season.
"I’d say Raheem Sterling; those are the battles I’ve enjoyed the most. He keeps going, just keeps on coming at you," he told manutd.com.
"Doesn’t matter if he doesn’t get past you in one challenge, he keeps coming back for more every time. That’s what I like. I’ve been happy with my performances in both league derbies and the results both times were just what we needed. The second one was just before lockdown, and that was an incredible afternoon.
"We were prepared for that game and we showed that as a team on the pitch. When Scott scored the second goal, the whole stadium just went off and you could see what it meant to everyone."
Wan-Bissaka has gone up against Sterling four times this season, twice in the league and in both legs of the league cup semi-final. City have only managed to score four goals in those meetings; three of those came in one half, while Sterling failed to find the net in every encounter.
