As Manchester City and other Premier League clubs gear up for the proposed return of the competition next month, with a restart date potentially being agreed this week, Sterling will no doubt hope that the enforced break of the league since March due to coronavirus can enable him to rediscover the form he showed last summer in the early weeks of the season.

The England winger scored a hat-trick in the opening day 5-0 win at West Ham and had five league goals by the end of August, as well as netting in the Community Shield, with 20 goals to his name by the end of 2019. However, the first few weeks of 2020 have not been kind to the 25-year-old, who has not scored in 11 appearances this side of New Year’s Day, with no goals in 12 games when the late December win over Sheffield United is included. [via TransferMarkt]

Therefore, the unexpected postponement of the league may have come at a good time for Sterling and his form from earlier in the season shows that, when at his best, he is a lethal finisher.

In the comments on that Instagram post, though, a number of Manchester City fans focused on the future of another winger at the club. Leroy Sane has been the subject of strong transfer interest from Bayern Munich, with the Etihad Stadium outfit reportedly prepared to sell him this summer rather than let him leave for free next year if he refuses to sign a new deal at the club (as per Evening Standard).

Pep Guardiola has been unable to call on the services of the German winger this season after he ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament last August, although his record of 30 goals and 37 assists over the previous two campaigns shows that he is often a hugely effective attacking presence when he features.

With Sane on the verge of a first team return prior to the mid-March shutdown of the sport, he may yet get the opportunity to remind his manager of what he can bring to the team, particularly if Sterling’s drought continues. It is therefore no great surprise that plenty of Manchester City fans hope that the 24-year-old will remain at the Etihad rather than jump ship to Bayern.

Man City fans, can Sterling get back to his best form soon? Should the club try harder to keep Sane at the Etihad? Comment below with your views!