Pep Guardiola has no intention of resting ‘exceptional’ Raheem Sterling, saying the forward is “one of the most fantastic players I ever had in my career.”
Manchester City are short of attacking options, with their problems at the top of the pitch heightened by an injury to Sergio Aguero.
Sterling has been filling in at the tip of the attack, and he will be in the side when they face his old club Liverpool at the Etihad on Sunday.
“He will be there again,” Guardiola said, per the Guardian. “There will be a moment when he takes a rest but he is so important for us. That is why we cannot [leave him out].
“He is an exceptional player. With his physicality he plays all the minutes. He is one of the most fantastic players I ever had in my career.”
Sterling arrived at City from Liverpool in 2015 and there is no doubt he has improved as a player under the guidance of Guardiola.
Guardiola believes the 25-year-old is only scratching the surface of his potential, but does not want to add pressure on Sterling’s shoulders.
“He is a better player than when he arrived,” Guardiola said. “He’s exceptional. I am pretty sure of his mentality and desire to win and improve a lot. He deserves a lot. I wish in three, four, five years he will be a much, much better player than he is today.
“Will he be one of the best in the world if he carries on improving? My advice, I would say to him don’t think about this. It makes no sense. Just enjoy the life; focus and destiny will dictate who he becomes as a player. It depends on him.”
City have made a stuttering start to the season, with three wins, two draws and a loss to their name from six games, but a win over champions Liverpool on Sunday would catapult them up the standings ahead of the international break.
A loss would leave them in the bottom half of the table and their first game back after the internationals is a trip to Jose Mourinho’s Tottenham.
