Sterling says Man City proved a point Raheem Sterling

MANCHESTER. — Raheem Sterling said Manchester City proved a point in a 4-0 thrashing of newly-crowned English Premier League football champions Liverpool on Thursday night as they look to take the title back next season.

Sterling scored in a competitive match against his old club for the first time and also had a major part in two other goals as City inflicted just Liverpool’s third league defeat in two seasons in emphatic fashion.

Kevin De Bruyne opened the scoring from the penalty spot after Sterling was wrestled to the ground by Joe Gomez.

Sterling and Phil Foden then made it 3-0 before half-time and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain could only turn Sterling’s shot into his own net to round off the scoring in the second half.

“We had a test against the current champions to make a point and we did brilliant,” said Sterling.

“Next season started today and we did well.”

Meanwhile, Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola insisted that Liverpool had been fully focused and hadn’t taken their foot off the gas, despite Manchester City’s comfortable 4-0 win over the newly crowned champions at the Etihad on Thursday.

City looked sharper and hungrier for most of the game, taking a 3-0 lead by halftime, while Klopp’s Liverpool were well below their usual levels of intensity.

Liverpool had previously lost only one league game this season, leading some observers to suggest last week’s title win — their first in 30 years — and subsequent celebrations had affected play on Thursday.

But manager Klopp was having none of it.

“If you want to lead this story in the direction that we were not focused, then do it,” Klopp said. “I liked my teams’ attitude — I saw a brilliant attitude — I saw boys who were fighting with all they have.

“It has nothing to do with last week, to be honest. It hurts like defeats hurt. What I wanted to see tonight was a team who is ready to fight against Man City, who obviously had a point to prove,” the German said.

“If there is a team in the world that can smash us like this, it is probably City but we will come again. Make a few things better and it could look differently, but for tonight that is it,” he added.

English Premiership Fixtures

Today: Norwich City v Brighton & Hove Albion (1:30pm); Leicester City v Crystal Palace (4pm); Manchester United v AFC Bournemouth (4pm); Wolverhampton Wanderers v Arsenal (6:30pm); Chelsea v Watford (9pm).

Tomorrow: Burnley v Sheffield United (1pm); Newcastle United v West Ham United (3:15pm); Liverpool v Aston Villa (5:30pm); Southampton v  Manchester City (8pm).

Monday: Tottenham Hotspur v Everton (9pm). — AFP.

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