Raheem can handle Kop abuse
Raheem Sterling will be the first name on Manuel Pellegrini’s team sheet for the trip to Liverpool despite an expectation of more vitriol being hurled his way.
|||London - Raheem Sterling will be the first name on Manuel Pellegrini’s team sheet for Tuesday night’s trip to Liverpool despite an expectation of more vitriol being hurled his way.
The 21-year-old was abused and labelled a ‘greedy b******’ during Manchester City’s Capital One Cup final win on Sunday, and one Liverpool supporter grabbed him post-match.
The fan called Sterling ‘a f****** Judas’ as the Manchester City star made his way to a winners’ reception at Wembley before Kevin De Bruyne and a steward intervened.
Yet Pellegrini has no qualms about playing Sterling on his return to Liverpool and says his £49million man can handle any pressure, although the manager remains at a loss to explain why the winger receives such rough treatment.
City are looking for only a second win at Anfield in 35 years to close the gap on leaders Leicester.
‘We’ll wait and see the starting XI but one player I’m sure will start is Sterling,’ said Pellegrini. ‘I do not understand why the Liverpool fans boo him but I don’t see Raheem worrying about it. He knows how to deal with the pressure and I’m sure he can deal with it.’
Sterling was ridiculed by opposing fans for missing two glorious chances to wrap up Sunday’s final long before Willy Caballero became the penalty shootout hero. He stayed for extra training yesterday in a bid to improve his sharpness in front of goal.
City could be without Yaya Toure, who is struggling with a foot problem, while Pellegrini confirmed he expects De Bruyne and Samir Nasri back by the end of this month.
Liverpool, meanwhile, will provide Jurgen Klopp with the money to overhaul his squad this summer after they published record financial results.
The accounts to the year ending May 31, 2015 showed Liverpool had increased their revenue to £297.9million and their profit before tax was £60m, compared to £900,000 for the previous year. Luis Suarez’s £75m sale to Barcelona in 2014 was the reason Liverpool were able to post such a big profit even though their wage bill - the fifth highest in the Premier League - rose from £143m to £166m.
Chief executive Ian Ayre insisted the accounts showed Liverpool to be making ‘good progress’, enabling them to provide Klopp with funds to buy players.
Daily Mail