Manchester City star Raheem Sterling is the toughest winger Patrick van Aanholt has faced in the Premier League.
That's according to the Crystal Palace full-back, who has been speaking about what makes the England international such a tough opponent to play against.
Appearing on the Counter Attack podcast, van Aanholt was asked to name the toughest winger he has come up against during his time in the Premier League.
And while he mentioned his Palace team-mate Wilfried Zaha as one of the toughest to play against in the top flight, having come up against him before joining the Eagles, van Aanholt said he relishes coming up against Sterling.
“I have played against a lot, Wilf [Zaha] when I was at Sunderland, and Raheem Sterling," he said.
“I like my battles against Raheem Sterling. I always wind him up during the game and he knows it as well.
“His movement is sharp, you have to focus on him and the ball, the minute you switch off, he is in behind you, when he is gone, he is gone.”
Van Aanholt has not named Sterling as the quickest opponent he has faced in the Premier League though.
Instead, he reckons Wolves' pacy winger Adama Traore and Sterling's Manchester City team-mate Leroy Sane are actually faster.
"There are so many quick wingers now, look at [Adama] Traore at Wolves, he is the quickest I have played against," he said.
“Traore is quicker than [Newcastle United winger Allan] Saint-Maximin. Leroy Sane is rapid too, quicker than [Raheem] Sterling.”
