Raheem Sterling extended his recent goal drought in a City to 11 games after drawing another blank in their 2-0 win at Crystal Palace over the weekend.
Raheem still has a lot to offer on the international level
Roy Hodgson has supported Raheem Sterling to become a key player for England at the Euros despite his lukewarm form at Manchester City. Sterling extended his recent goal drought in a City to 11 games after drawing another blank in their 2-0 win at Crystal Palace over the weekend. The 26-year-old is no longer guaranteed a spot in Pep Guardiola’s starting XI, but Hodgson – the man who handed the winger his England debut in 2012 – thinks he still has a lot to offer internationally. Former England boss, who currently in charge at Palace, told reporters after Saturday’s Premier League clash: “I’m a big fan of Raheem; I think he’s a great player.”
The winger plays an important role in the defensive work of the team
“It’s a great position to be in if you are Pep Guardiola that you believe that you have other players you prefer to use Raheem, but I’m pretty certain in terms of England, he will still be an important player and an important cog in the wheel because he has so many abilities. The skill set he has and the ability to beat people, get into goalscoring positions and score and set up chances, they are hard to find, and Raheem got great quality, and one I always admired in him, he is not a player who stays there and waits for the ball to come to him. He makes sure he goes in search of it, and when he loses it, he gets it back and plays an important role in the defensive work of the team.”
“These are the things we as coaches expect from our players these days, but it’s not always easy to get it.” Gareth Southgate is blessed with many quality attacking options heading into the European Championships, which are due to kick off on June 11. Despite being in Guardiola’s lineup, Sterling still made essential contributions to Man City’s cause amid their pursuit for glory on domestic and European fronts.