Plaudits for Raheem Sterling’s performance against Brighton, a word from Chris Hughton after our victory over the Seagulls and a sprinkling of transfer gossip feature in today’s media watch…
First up, we begin with looking at what the papers had to say about Sterling.
READ: City climb to summit with win over Brighton
GALLERY: City 2-0 Brighton | The best of the action
The 23-year-old kicked-off our scoring against Brighton with a superb close-range strike, and it seems that the press are keen to sing his praises.
“His goal against Brighton underlined two things about his game that make him one of the first names on Pep Guardiola’s teamsheet these days,” Stuart Brennan of the Manchester Evening News writes.
“An interesting stat emerged to show that the former Liverpool man has been involved in 35 Premier League goals since the start of last season – 22 goals and 13 assists. Only Mo Salah (46) and Harry Kane (38) have more.
“But one thing the stats do not show is just how crucial many of those goals are.
“Already this season Sterling has opened the scoring for the Blues three times.
“That first goal is important to any team, but even more so to a side like City who are usually faced with a thick brick wall of defenders.
“Last season, of course, he made a speciality of bagging vital goals at the other end of the 90 minutes.
“The other neglected aspect is just how hard he works, to get those goals.
“When Bernardo Silva snaffled the ball 20 yards inside his own half against the Seagulls, he moved it quickly on to Sergio Aguero, who strode forward and then released the jet-heeled Leroy Sane.
“When he glanced up, he saw Sterling arriving, a bundle of urgent energy, to run beyond the covering defender and get on the end of the cross.
“He does it time and time again, and yet the ignorant mark it down as a simple tap-in.”
Brennan awarded Sterling the highest mark in his post-match player ratings too.
The journalist scribes: “Bust a gut to get on the end of Sane’s cross for the first goal, and his run and return pass for Aguero were brilliant. Barrel of mischief – 9.”
Following our win, opposition boss Chris Hughton also had some kind words to say about Pep Guardiola’s side.
“They are a top side and they’ve probably still not got into their best form yet,” Hughton told the Brighton & Hove Independent.
“Last season they were outstanding.
“It’s very difficult coming here when you’re a team like us. In your second season in this division, you can get beat big here with the form of the opposition.
“It’s no coincidence how they won the league last season with probably some of the best football the league has seen.
“I don’t know if they’re at their best at the moment but they will certainly go down in different people’s opinions as one of the best teams.”
Finally, we take a look at the transfer rumours circulating the back pages at the moment.
In today’s speculation The Sun claims that City are looking to recruit Paris-Saint Germain starlet Kylian Mbappe.
“Pep Guardiola wants to make a record January bid for Kylian Mbappe,” Alan Nixon writes.
“Boss Guardiola believes the World Cup-winning forward, 19, can take the club to Champions League glory.
“New Uefa rules mean the PSG whizzkid would not be cup-tied for the knockout stages of Europe’s biggest club tournament if he is signed this winter.
“UEFA are also probing PSG’s finances as part of a Finanical Fair Play investigation.
“However, City would have to sell at least one star to keep within FFP regulations themselves.
“Mbappe has also been linked with Real Madrid and Barcelona.”
That’s all for today’s media watch, but we will be back tomorrow morning with all the last news and headlines from the back pages!
