Sterling back in the groove for Guardiola and Man City as Atletico Madrid and Liverpool loom

“Raheem Sterling, he’s top of the league!”

It is a signature chant that was attached to the Manchester City forward after he first moved to the Etihad Stadium, when Liverpool fans were questioning the motives behind his acrimonious transfer in the summer of 2015.

Seven years, and three Premier League winners’ medals down the line, that song has stuck and got a lively rendition from the away fans following City’s 2-0 victory over relegation-threatened Burnley on Saturday.

Partly, the reason was that Liverpool were briefly back on top of the Premier League table for the first time in six months following their lunchtime victory over Watford.

Officially, City were in second spot for close to two-and-a-half hours, but in reality it was less than 30 minutes after City put in the storming response that Pep Guardiola will have demanded.

Sterling and Kevin De Bruyne combined brilliantly for a fifth-minute opener and, from then on, any hope of Liverpool carrying their title advantage into next week’s clash between the two clubs was effectively vanquished.

Jurgen Klopp could not even be asked questions about the possibility, and joked about it in his post-match press conference that began after City had taken the lead.

There had never been any real danger of City taking the trip to Turf Moor lightly, even if Burnley are mired in a relegation battle, with Guardiola's side facing the daunting prospect of facing both Atletico Madrid and Liverpool twice in their next four matches.

Players like Sterling and De Bruyne have been here before and know exactly what is required, which is why the City boss can rely on them.

For Sterling, it is a slightly different scenario, with the England international fighting for his starting place more than ever.

Recently, he has often come off second best against record signing Jack Grealish and leading goalscorer Riyad Mahrez, with Gabriel Jesus and, occasionally, Phil Foden battling for the same spots.

He was on the bench for the Manchester derby and goalless draw with Crystal Palace before the international break, but back in the side at Turf Moor, he took his chance to show his form ahead of those massive games.

For England in midweek, he showed his quality with a goal and assist as captain in the 3-0 victory over Ivory Coast, and then underlined it as the star man at Burnley.

The touch for De Bruyne’s opening strike was sumptuous, the pass for Ilkay Gundogan’s second was perfect. He could have had a hat-trick of assists when his brilliant shimmy and cross picked out Jesus, who narrowly volleyed over.

He also scuffed a volleyed lob which would have rounded off another unstoppable move of effortless precision.

It has put Sterling in the frame to start City’s Champions League quarter-final first leg against Atletico, even with Mahrez likely to come back in, with Guardiola believing he is back in his groove.

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“All the time when Raheem comes back from the national team he comes back with a boost,” the City boss said.

“It was incredible that he was captain and you see how decisive he was in all the actions and his assists and he creates one-twos on the right side. I have a feeling he's arriving in a really good moment.”

Guardiola rotated his squad with tougher games to come, leaving out John Stones, who was not 100 per cent fit, and resting Bernardo Silva. And the City boss has insisted he will need each member of his squad if they are to finish the season with silverware.

“Everyone made their own contribution and we got the points,” he said. “Eight games left, 24 points - we spoke about that. We have to feel the pressure that every game we play if we lose we are not going to win, we will be out.

“Hopefully Liverpool will lose against us but apart from that I don't think they will drop points. We have to feel this pressure and handle it. We did it in the past. We won 14 games in a row, now we have to win eight games, otherwise we will not be champions."

Sterling knows all about the pressure of being top of the league. Early signs are he is handling it well again.