Manchester City forward Raheem Sterling says he is hungry to win the Premier League again, warning the champions against complacency as they chase more glory. Pep Guardiola’s men were confirmed as champions with five matches still to play on Sunday when Manchester United were beaten by West Brom.
“This is my first Premier League title so who cares how you win it, whether it was on the pitch or on my sofa, I’m just delighted to win the title,” said the England international. “It’s been a dream ever since I was a kid growing up playing football with my mates and winning it means everything. It’s important we don’t get complacent though. It’s amazing to win it, but now it’s about the next one.”
The England international, who joined City from Liverpool in 2015, has progressed rapidly this season and Guardiola said at the weekend the 23-year-old could become one of the best players in the world. Sterling, who has scored 22 goals, 17 in the Premier League, is relishing the opportunity to work with the former Barcelona and Bayern Munich boss.
“It’s all about the basics with him. He pushes you to be better at the small things and that improves your performance,” said Sterling. “It’s been great for me to learn in this environment and improve as a player under him. He’s one of the best managers in the world. It’s special to be part of.”
Guardiola’s transfer policy addressed the need to bring down the average age of the squad, with Leroy Sane one of those bought in the summer of 2016 to do just that. The Germany international has provided a cutting edge on the opposite flank to Sterling while also chipping in with 13 goals. With his first title now in the bag the 22-year-old is looking forward to a period of sustained success.
“We have a young team but also a lot of experience within the squad as well. It’s a good mix,” he said. “It’s been a great season, but we can still always improve. I hope we can win many more trophies. The team is ambitious and we want to compete for everything. We didn’t win everything we wanted this season, and this is something to motivate us when we start again in the summer.”
