Raheem Sterling believes he is 15 goals away from his target for the season, with the Manchester City forward having scored 20 times when the campaign was postponed six weeks ago due to coronavirus.
The 25-year-old registered a career-best 25 last season with a further six for England. While Sterling has also managed four international goals in 2019-20, 35 is his ideal tally for Pep Guardiola’s side, having failed to add to the 20 in his last 12 appearances.
“I would say probably I’m about 15 goals off where I want to be,” Sterling said. “Those are the targets, to try and create good numbers but at the same time not just have numbers to have numbers.
“You want to have trophies to back up the season because 10 years from now you can score a lot of goals, but if I can’t look back on those goals as being important for my team and having a great value then those goals were pointless. It is [about] trying to contribute as much as I can but at the end of the season have some medals to show for it.”
Sterling joined from Liverpool in summer 2015. “During my time at City, the most important thing I have learned is the value of winning,” he said. “Before it was, if I won a game then it was good and if I lost a game, I was disappointed, but it doesn’t burn you as much. Now, if we lose one game in 15 at City you wouldn’t like to be in the dressing room, it is like the worst thing in the world has happened.
“I think that is a great surrounding and thing to be in, that nobody wants to lose or accepts losing. That is the biggest thing I have learned since I have been there and is something that I carry with me, not just in football but in anything I do, just that winning mentality and to constantly not take defeat for an answer.”
City are the reigning champions and have claimed six of the last seven available domestic trophies. Yet Sterling believes they can still improve. “It is a team where there is not a lot of egos, even on the pitch everyone wants to do their best,” Sterling said. “Collectively we have the same ambitions, to win competitions and win as many as we can, so it reflects on what the manager [Pep Guardiola] is trying to do and the players are taking it on board superbly well. I think we still have another level to go.”
