Champions League: Man City manager Guardiola hails Sterling hat-trick

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola praised the 'extraordinary' Raheem Sterling after his 11-minute hat-trick in City's 5-1 Champions League thrashing of Atalanta on Tuesday. Along with Sterling's hat-trick, Sergio Aguero also scored twice for the team. Pep Guardiola has no doubt that hat-trick hero Raheem Sterling can continue to improve even as he lauded the Manchester City star as perfect. Sterling’s hat-trick helped City to maintain a 100% win record in the UEFA Champions League. Pep feels that Sterling’s physicality is incredible and believes that he could play game after game.

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City were trailing after Ruslan Malinovskiy’s penalty at the Etihad Stadium, but Sterling teamed up with Aguero to restore parity six minutes later in Manchester. Sterling then won a penalty for Aguero to lead City ahead before half-time in the Group C clash, with the former running riot in the space of 11 second-half minutes.

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New records for Sterling

The 24-year-old's hat-trick took his tally to 16 goals in 17 games for club and country this season, also contributing with 10 assists. This hat-trick makes him only the eighth Englishman to score a Champions League hat-trick and the only player to score it as a winger. Sterling was announced as the Player of the Match after his magnificent display. He scored 28 goals along with 15 assists in the previous season for both club and country and has successfully cemented his place in Pep’s starting 11.

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City lead Group C with nine points, having won all three group stage matches. They have conceded just one goal till now in the campaign.

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