RAHEEM STERLING admits he is obsessed.
Not with neighbours Manchester United though, but more with his pursuit of becoming the best player he can.
Raheem Sterling admits he is obsessed with becoming the best player in the worldCredit: PA:Press Association
And that could spell bad news for his city rivals as they prepare to go head-to-head in tonight’s derby at the Etihad.
Sterling cannot wait to be part of the fight to prove who is the top club in town when the Red Devils pitch up.
But the bigger battle for him is continuing his amazing recent improvement.
And he reckons playing for a top club like City means there are no excuses for him not doing so.
England star Sterling, 24, said: “It’s all about mentality, maturity and growing up.
“I’m obsessed with football, obsessed with scoring goals, obsessed with recovering quicker and obsessed with improving myself.
“You have every facility here so you have to use it to your advantage to try and be the best you can be.”
The arrival of boss Pep Guardiola at City in 2016 inspired Sterling to hit new heights — but he admitted a change in attitude has also helped.
He added: “I was decisive but I wasn’t 100 per cent committed.
“I wasn’t 100 per cent living the way I should be living to be a professional footballer that would give me an edge on a match day.
“I realised that and changed it. You see the improvements on the pitch and that’s why you continue to do it.
“Because you see how you feel on the field and what your output is. You look at what your numbers are doing.
“It’s a good thing and as a professional you have to learn, take it in your stride and keep learning. That’s all I do.
“If you want to play at the highest level this is what you have to do, week in, week out, year in, year out.
“If you’re at a football club that wants to win trophies that’s where you have to be at.
“Pep has played an important role in the progress of this football club.
“He’s a great manager. He’s all about attention to detail.
“He’s very specific to our team playing the way we play against everyone.
“It’s always adapting to the team we’re playing and finding ways to expose them.”
No doubt Guardiola, Sterling and everyone in the blue corner will relish trying to do just that against Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s men today.
For all their problems in recent seasons, United’s record at the Etihad is not bad — the defeat in November 2018 was a first in four years.
Sterling added: “We’re always fighting against each other to be the No 1 team in the city. That’s always a great thing to do.
“Both teams have great players and great managers — I think this weekend we’ll show nothing less.
“Playing against United is always difficult and we know it’ll be a tough game.”
Sterling has been a shining light for club and country this season, scoring 19 goals already.
Yet City have dipped below the sky-high standards of recent seasons and allowed his old club Liverpool to build up an 11-point lead over them at the top of the Premier League.
They have looked like their old selves only in patches, although the 4-1 win at Burnley on Tuesday was arguably their best performance of the season so far.
Even so, Sterling believes there is a lot of room for improvement. He said: “We’ve started the season very well and I judge my season by how the team’s doing. So far it’s been good but could be better.
“Champions League good, Premier League decent but could be a lot better.
“It’s still early in the season though. Of course I want to do better than last season.
“Every season you want to do better than the year before.”
Although Jurgen Klopp and his Liverpool stars appear to be running away with the title, Sterling is not ready to throw in the towel just yet.
Back-to-back crowns mean City know how to get the job done and they will be waiting to pounce if the Reds slip up.
Sterling added: “We just need to keep winning games and hope they lose some. It’s as simple as that.
“They’re playing some good football at the moment but it’s a long season.
“We have to keep winning and keep believing.
“Football is a funny game and in one moment it can change. You have to be ready.
“At the moment, they’re leading and we just have to keep working and keep winning.”
Man City vs Man Utd – Live stream, TV channel, kick-off time and betting odds for massive Manchester derby
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
