This article is part of Football FanCast’s Pundit View series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent quotes from journalists, pundits, players and managers…
Former Arsenal midfielder Ray Parlour has told talkSPORT that he would prefer to have Manchester City’s Raheem Sterling over Liverpool winger Sadio Mane.
What’s the word?
The Senegalese forward has started the season well and has picked up where he left off during the last campaign after gaining an equal share of the Premier League Golden Boot award, alongside teammate Mohamed Salah and Arsenal striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. The African trio tallied 22 goals apiece last season.
The Citizens winger has also been in scintillating form this season with six goals in eight Premier League games and a further four goals in the Champions League.
Speaking on the Alan Brazil Sports Breakfast, he said: “I can’t believe Sterling is only 24, he’s still a young lad!
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“I thought he was 27 or 28. His career has been so good, you’d think he’d been playing for years and years, but he’s only 24!
“Would you put him as the third-best player in the world at the moment, behind Ronaldo and Messi?
“What about this one – Mane has been brilliant for Liverpool this year, but who would you have, Mane or Sterling?
“It would be close, Mane has been excellent, but I would definitely have Sterling.”
Mane edges it
Admittedly, the stats back up what Parlour is saying if their performances over the calendar year are taken into consideration.
The former Liverpool youngster has scored 23 goals and 11 assists in 2019 for City, while Mane has 17 goals and four assists. Both players have fantastic records and deserve to be spoken about as two of the best players in the Premier League.
However, the Arsenal legend is wrong about picking Sterling over Mane, and here’s why.
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Over the past few seasons, the 27-year-old has produced moments of magic to get his side through difficult spells in games, particularly his sumptuous turn against Bayern Munich to score past Manuel Neuer during the Reds’ 3-1 win at the Allianz Arena last season.
His aggression, willingness to defend and eagerness to score goals encapsulates him as one of the very best on our islands.
Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher gave him some of the biggest praise imaginable and compared him to John Barnes, saying that the Reds now have that sort of player that they have been lacking for years.
Another former Arsenal man Cesc Fabregas also commented on Mane’s player development and believes that he should be named as one of the top three players in the world, toppling Sterling in the process.
It is a very close call between the two players. Sterling is a role model of the new generation and an excellent footballer.
However, looking at when Mane came into the fold at Anfield and the contributions he has made to help turn this Liverpool squad around in such a short time, he just edges it.