Raheem Sterling: I thought my season was over after Guardiola “killed me” in Man City dressing room

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Manchester City forward Raheem Sterling has revealed Pep Guardiola has shown him tough love at times but it has ultimately motivated him to improve as a player.

The young England international may have struck 15 league goals this season as well as registering seven assists, but it wasn’t always smooth sailing.

Sterling revealed that it was initially hard, as a young 20-year-old, to immediately live up to the £49m fee that Man City spent to prize him away from Liverpool in 2015.

Since working with Guardiola, however, Sterling notes how added competition and his manager’s constructive criticism proved to be wholly beneficial.

“He [Guardiola] lets you know when he’s not happy with you,” Sterling told the Telegraph.

“I remember coming on against Crystal Palace. I lost the ball three times and I didn’t think I was going to play until the end of the season after he killed me in the dressing room.

“A manager like that brings the best out of you, when he makes sure to tell you when you’re in the wrong,” added the Man City forward.

“When there’s doubt, when it comes to that point, that’s where I’m at my best, when I have got competition. NaijaBet.com

“Last summer, I saw Bernardo Silva signed and I thought ‘when I get back, I’ve got to make sure I’m on it because there’s more competition’. I was looking forward to it.

“Sometimes you read you might not be in the squad and I think ‘OK then, cool, we’ll see about that’. Stuff like that brings the best out of me.” NaijaBet.com

Sterling over the years

Sterling has most certainly improved in his three years at City, but especially under Guardiola.

He now scores 0.67 goals per 90 minutes compared to 0.28 in his first season at the Etihad, and this season has been far more fruitful for him in terms of assists as well – registering 0.31 per 90 this term, but just 0.09 in 2015-16.

He is all-round a more creative and influential player, with his key passes and chances created also improving from his debut term – creating 1.93 chances and making 1.62 key passes per 90 respectively.

Sterling, meanwhile, will be hoping to hit the back of the net in England’s Tuesday night friendly against Italy; Sterling hasn’t scored for the Three Lions since 2015.