Manchester City winger Raheem Sterling accepts his place in the starting line-up is not guaranteed and that he has to work harder to achieve his ambitions at the club.
The England international was named as a substitute for the second time in three matches in Tuesday’s 4-1 League Cup quarter-final win at home to Hull City and came off the bench to help inspire a late rally to help City over the line against their second-tier Championship opposition.
With David Silva now fully fit and £55 million (Dh303.5m) summer signing Kevin de Bruyne, who scored twice against Hull, having a fine debut season, Sterling said there is significant competition for places.
He knew that even before he left Liverpool nearly five months ago, and said it just means he has to seize every opportunity that comes his way.
“The players in the squad are capable of starting in any game and if the manager puts them out there, I am sure they will do the business,” he said. “Obviously, everyone wants to play every game, but that cannot happen at this level. You have to get rotated at times and that is what happened.
“I was on the bench but when I come on the pitch, I have to try to contribute as much as I can for the team.”
Helping the side get to a Wembley final in a competition they won most recently in 2013/14 is the first target for Sterling at City as he continues to settle in after his £44m summer move from Anfield.
“Getting into the semi-final is a good start,” Sterling said of the defeat of Hull. “I thought we did well to grind out a result and once the second one went in I thought more would go in and they did.
“Teams come and sit in against us because they know the quality we possess throughout the squad.
“Hull did that and we had to be patient, keep the 1-0 lead and when the second goal did come, it opened up more.”
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