Raheem Sterling can become world class at Man City, say Sunday Supplement panel
Sunday 18 October 2015 12:10, UK
Raheem Sterling has fitted into Manchester City's side seamlessly, say the Sunday Supplement panel.
The midfielder moved to the Etihad from Liverpool for £49m in the summer, a record for an English player, and scored a hat-trick as City beat Bournemouth 5-1 on Saturday.
And despite the big price tag on his head, The Sun's Neil Custis says the way the 20-year-old has adapted is a sign of his quality.
He said: "The way that transfer went about, and the pressure that was on him, the big-money label on his shoulders and the expectation.
"He has just seamlessly moved into that team and performed at a level that is there with Sergio Aguero and David Silva.
"There is something about great players moving into great teams and fitting in. It didn't take him any time to link up with all those world class players around him.
"In my opinion Raheem Sterling will become world class because he is of that standard."
City have 21 points from their nine games so far this season, scoring 24 goals in the process, and sit two points above Arsenal and Manchester United.
Custis believes that while City have the best squad in the Premier League and should win the title, they are prone to letting their standards drop, as shown by defeats at home to West Ham and away at Tottenham so far this term.
"Sterling and Kevin De Bruyne coming into that City team have been two huge additions in terms of pushing them on again.
"If City don't win the league with the squad they've got, serious questions will be asked. There is a joy about City's football, it is played with a real smile on their face.
"But I've said before, my only doubt is that sometimes they will let their standards drop because they're playing well, and they think they can just turn up.
"But they are by far and away the best in the country."
The Daily Mail's Martin Samuel echoed Custis' words, saying Sterling has embraced his team-mates, and that City players' trust in the England man is evident.
"Other players want to play with him as well. They've seen him in training, like what they see, they're very happy to give him the ball and trust him.
"Straight away he's involved in all of that play, which again is a sign they know a good player."
