Pep Guardiola has backed Raheem Sterling to plunder 30 goals for Manchester City this term.
Sterling began the season with a hat-trick in champions City’s 5-0 rout of West Ham last weekend in their opening Premier League fixture.
The England winger scored 25 goals for Guardiola’s side last season, playing a key role as the club completed a historic domestic treble trophy haul.
And Guardiola reckons Sterling can reach the 30-goal mark this season, after hailing his “clinical” finishing in front of goal.
Asked if the 24-year-old can reach 30 goals this term, the City boss said: “Yeah, hopefully. It will be good for him and for the team.
“When he’s in front of the goal, he puts it in the net. So, he can do it, yeah. He scored 25 last season, and 25 to 30 is only five goals. So he can do it.
“But I don’t know. I never spoke with Sergio Aguero, or Gabriel Jesus, or Raheem, with any of the people up front, about what are their dreams and targets, so I don’t know, honestly.
“I think they’re happy when they are scoring goals, like all the people who play in the front line.
“So, hopefully, he can score goals. I think goals are a consequence of the way we play – their mood, how the team’s playing, no injuries. I wouldn’t judge him if he scored 30 goals, 35 or 20.
“When he scores goals, I’m happy. But if he does what he has to do for him and the team, then it’s enough.”
City host Tottenham on Saturday, with Guardiola hailing Mauricio Pochettino’s side as the “second best in Europe” after reaching last season’s Champions League final.
Spurs finished fourth in the Premier League last season, 27 points behind City, losing 13 games as they fell away in the title race.
Despite that, Guardiola said he rates Spurs – who knocked City out in the Champions League quarter-finals – as the second-best team in Europe, after their 2-0 final defeat by Liverpool in Madrid.
“How good are they?” pondered the Spaniard. “My words and my opinion on them? They are the second best team in Europe. For me, that’s enough.
“Since I came here to England, every season they were a real contender.
“In my first season, they finished second. In the last two seasons, they didn’t win it, but always they were tough, tough games.
“I said from the first day, when we played at White Hart Lane and lost 2-0, about the capacity, quality and possibilities of this team, the manager and the club.
“They are a strong team, a good team.”
