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Pep Guardiola challenges Raheem Sterling to do his talking on the pitch to salvage Man City career

The England international said that he would be 'open' to moving elsewhere after finding first-team football hard to come by at the Etihad

Pep Guardiola has challenged Raheem Sterling to prove he is worthy of regular first-team football – or request a transfer if he is unhappy and wants to leave the Etihad.

The Manchester City manager’s comments came at the end of a week in which Sterling revealed that he was reviewing his options, and contemplating a move away from the club, due to his lack of playing time.

Guardiola was keen to make clear that his ultimatum applied to all players – not just the England forward.

And, with the news that Spain international Ferran Torres could be out for three months with a broken foot, Sterling may find increased opportunities with the champions over the coming weeks.

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But the City manager was forthright in his warning that any players unhappy at the lack of minutes in his star-studded squad, can seek a move.

“The only way to get this is: what can I do better to play regularly?” said Guardiola.

“And after when he is not satisfied or any of these players, it is so simple, with their agents, go to the club and say I am not happy I want to leave and we are going to find a solution. I am pretty sure of that.

“So we want people committed and happy to be here. I want more minutes, I cannot assure them – not Raheem, all of them. I cannot give them.

“When we sign a player I do not tell them you are going to play all the minutes. I don’t say that. Never. You have to win. You have to win on the training pitch in the games, every single game, you deserve to play in every single game.”

Sterling’s form remains impressive with England, having scored five times in his last 13 appearances, but his efforts with his club have been less impressive.

Crucially, given Guardiola’s failure to replace Sergio Aguero and the loss of Torres, Sterling has scored just twice for City in his last 26 appearances – form that prompted his manager to issue another challenge.

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“It’s today, tomorrow, when you get the opportunity to play, show me, show yourselves,” said Guardiola.

“Show the world how wrong I was when I was not selecting you and then you are right. You have to play tomorrow.

“The biggest speak on the pitch. I was a manager with incredible top players, and they never never never complained to me – go there and show me how wrong I was when I wasn’t selecting you.

“They need to show me how good they are. The biggest athletes in the world, in all the sports, in the moment, they speak on the grass. That is where they have to talk.”

Still, despite Sterling’s modest return, Guardiola insists he retains confidence in Sterling to rediscover his form and help City’s strike force through a potentially difficult period.

“He has all the skills to play in any of the three positions up front,” said Guardiola. “He is so dynamic, he has the sense to arrive at the box, of course he scores goals, sometimes it’s the confidence.

“He has played number 10, as a striker he will always have chances. Every game we create chances, just to be focused to convert all of them. He is an exceptional player.

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“He is in the national team, what a Euros he had. There are no doubts about that. He is playing with the top, top players as well, alongside him and sometimes I decide on the other ones, but the moment I don’t play Phil the press say oh Phil (Foden) deserves to play, when Jack Grealish doesn’t play, you have to play Jack.

“When Riyad (Mahrez), Riyad was the best player in the league in the last four or five months.

“Every game he played. He was in exceptional form, and always you remind me how good I am? No, it’s in the past. I don’t care. I don’t care. People don’t judge me on how many titles we won in the clubs I have been.”

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