2020 just keeps getting worse for Raheem Sterling

Another game, another Raheem Sterling miss. A glaring miss by Sterling deep into the second half of the Manchester Derby continued an anaemic start to 2020 by the speedster. In fact, the last time Sterling scored a goal was against Wolves on the 28/12/19. Just what has happened to Sterling for him to have such a loss of form and more importantly lack of confidence in front of goal.

Sterling’s altercation with Joe Gomez really triggered this loss of form. Despite, Sterling himself firmly stating that everything was fine between him and Gomez. Whilst, there may be no bad blood between the two England teammates clearly that incident had an adverse effect on Sterling.

Whether it was the public reaction he received after the incident where he was called a “brat” or increased animosity he got from the Anfield crowd after his altercation with Gomez that really had a psychological impact on himself is something that only he knows. But make no mistake, that Manchester City defeat at the hands of his old team, Liverpool coupled with his fight with Joe Gomez definitely was a major factor in Sterling’s loss of form.

The problem for Manchester City is that there is no logical solution to get Sterling back amongst the goals because from a tactical point of view, he’s making the right runs as evidenced against Manchester United where he made a great run between Lindelof and Maguire to get on the end of Mahrez’s cross but simply scythed it nearly for a throw-in.

So if it’s not a tactical problem, it must be a psychological problem. If that’s the case, no amount of training ground work will suffice, only getting a goal will alleviate this psychological block that Sterling at the moment has. Robin Van Persie had the same problem in Sir Alex Ferguson’s last season where he was banging in goals at the start of the season similarly to Sterling but went on a goalless streak of 10 games before finally netting a penalty.

What Sterling needs is a goal be it the scruffiest goal of all time or a penalty, however with Manchester City’s current penalty-taking woes that might not be quite the solution.

With Manchester City having their worst season since Pep Guardiola‘s first season in charge and Leroy Sane imminently returning from injury. The pressure is on Sterling to retain in his spot in the star-studded starling lineup of Manchester City.