Sterling grows into Man Citys difference maker
Afp, London
Raheem Sterling had his own special fan club in attendance as Manchester City eased into the FA Cup final on Saturday with the England winger paying for 550 pupils of his former school to attend the match at Wembley.
However, appreciation of Sterling the player and the man now extends from the estate he grew up in the shadows of Englands national stadium, to Manchester and beyond as he becomes an ever more important figure on and off the field for club and country.
City go into Tuesdays Champions League quarter-final, first leg at Tottenham still on course for a historic quadruple of trophies.
Sterling scored the winning penalty as they retained the League Cup in February, and the Premier League title is also still in their hands despite a titanic battle with his old club Liverpool.
His 19 goals and 16 assists for Pep Guardiolas men have seen him emerge as Citys leading candidate for player of the year awards, while a three-year drought for England has been emphatically ended by a run of six goals in his last four international caps.
He is incredible, said England captain Harry Kane, who has the challenge of outgunning his international teammate for Tottenham in three meetings over the next two weeks.
He is a great a player and so humble as well. He just wants to work hard and get better.
At just 24, Sterling though is not just blossoming as one of the worlds best players, but a leading campaigner in footballs fight against racism.
A teenage protg, the Jamaican born winger, made his England debut as a 17-year-old, but was often hounded by negative publicity and often not for his performances on the pitch at international level.
