Gary Neville told Sky Sports during their live coverage of Liverpool’s 4-1 defeat to Manchester City on Sunday that Raheem Sterling was having a ‘field day’ against Fabinho and Trent Alexander-Arnold yesterday.
Former Reds defender Carragher questioned Alexander-Arnold’s positioning against his England teammate and how there was potential confusion between the right-back and his Liverpool teammate.
Sterling was a handful all game and perhaps should have been rewarded more than just the goal he scored because his penalty award, which was won after Fabinho fouled him in the first half, was blazed over the bar by Ilkay Gundogan.
Nonetheless, this is what Neville and Carragher made of Sterling’s performance yesterday:
“He’s doing good today Raheem Sterling,” said Carragher. “You think about so often he has those battles with Wan-Bissaka, well he’s up against a different type of fullback here. Somebody who is better on the ball. Attacks better.
Neville added: “He’s getting a little bit of joy, running at Liverpool’s right fullback. He’s having a field day down this side against Fabinho and Alexander-Arnold.”
Carragher then claimed: “At times when you look down and you look at the positional play of Trent, you have played there Gary, he’s almost ahead of Raheem Sterling.
“It’s like there is almost a mix-up of who he is supposed to be picking up. Or he’s expecting Fabinho to come across him and get him also. But he keeps finding himself between both players.”
It’s been nearly six years since Sterling made that big-money £49 million switch from Anfield to the Etihad (BBC Sport).
And whilst he has numerous trophies to his name to prove that he made the right decision, that performance yesterday was no doubt his best against Liverpool.
But for Man City now, they will only be looking ahead as they are now ten points clear of the champions, who are looking over their shoulders in regards to finishing in the top-four.
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