City’s 100% record under their new boss – and the manner in which they’ve earned it – has impressed all in the footballing world, including the Blues players.
One star who has shone particularly brightly in the 2016/17 campaign is Raheem Sterling, and the winger has told press he owes his fine form to his new boss.
Quoted in an article on Goal.com, he explains: “The manager’s been in the game a long time; won stuff, worked with young players, worked with great players… and he knows how to get the best out of his players.
“He’s been a massive help. Not just for me, but the other players as well - the whole team.
“It’s good to have a manager that not just talks to me, but makes the whole team feel really welcome, makes everyone feel they are all one - whether you are starting or not.
“Everyone’s hungry, everyone’s ready to run for him and play for him.”
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When asked whether he was motivated by a desire to prove his critics wrong this year, Sterling replied: “I didn’t come into the season thinking ‘I want to show everyone’, but rather just to concentrate on my football - that’s the most important thing.
“People will talk and stuff like that, but the most important thing for me was to come in and do well under the new manager and impress here. I knew if I kept working hard, I would get my chances.
“I’m enjoying my football, I’m enjoying winning games and I’m working hard to continue doing that. This is the season you will see me working my hardest, that’s for sure.”
Meanwhile, David Silva agrees City are improving each week, and insists he’s fighting fit ahead of the Manchester derby.
His comments feature in a Squawka article, as he states: “I’m fine, I feel good. The team is improving every game - we’re showing that on the pitch.
“[Against West Ham], we created a lot of goalscoring opportunities and we hope to keep improving.
“It’s always going to be a difficult and important game, but we hope to win. We know it’s a difficult place to go but now we’re thinking about our national teams, which come before, and then we’ll think about, and work towards, the derby.”
