Raheem Sterling set to join Chelsea: Decoding his stats
What's the story
Manchester City forward Raheem Sterling is set to join rivals, Chelsea, after agreeing on personal terms. The move gained momentum as Sterling was in the final year of his contract and this was a good moment to cash in just like they did for Gabriel Jesus, who joined Arsenal. Sterling was a pivotal player for City and his stats define the presence he enjoyed.
Context
Why does this story matter?
Sterling is a class act and his contributions both for Liverpool and Man City deserve praise and admiration. Joining Chelsea will give Sterling the space to be a focal point given at City he wouldn't have got the desired games because of the squad's depth. Chelsea get a quality player, who is one of the best in the Premier League.
Stats
Decoding the performance of Sterling at City
Former Liverpool ace Sterling joined City in 2015. Since then, he went on to net 131 goals, besides providing 74 assists in 339 games across seven seasons. His best campaign was in 2019-20 when he netted 31 goals in 52 appearances. He also scored 20-plus goals in 2017-18 and 2018-19 respectively (23 and 25). In 2021-22, he scored 17 goals in 47 matches.
Information
Sterling spent four seasons at Liverpool
Prior to joining City, Sterling spent four seasons at Liverpool. He scored 23 goals in 129 appearances for the Reds. Man City paid an initial £44m for the England international in 2015. He managed 18 goals in the Premier League for Liverpool.
Importance
Why Sterling was an important asset for Guardiola?
Sterling was a hugely important part of Pep Guardiola's managerial career, playing more games (292) for the Spaniard than anybody else. As per BBC, only Lionel Messi (211) and Sergio Aguero (124) have scored more goals for Guardiola than Sterling's 120. In terms of assists, Sterling ranks third with 66, only behind Kevin De Bruyne (105) and Messi (80).
Numbers
Sterling ranks second only behind Messi
As per Opta, Sterling ranks second in terms of goals and assists combined under Guardiola for top-flight games. His numbers read 186 (G120 A66) and he is only behind Messi, who scored 211 goals and clocked 80 assists. De Bruyne (G70 A105), Aguero (G124 A27), and Jesus (G95 A41) follow suit.
PL stats
Sterling's overall Premier League numbers
In 320 Premier League appearances, Sterling has scored 109 goals, besides making 56 assists. His tally includes three penalties and a free-kick. Out of his 671 shots, 277 have been on target. He has smashed the woodwork 23 times. Sterling has created 74 big chances, besides missing 98 of them. He has also clocked 114 off sides.
Success
Sterling won a host of trophies with City
Sterling leaves City as the second-highest scorer with 131 goals. His 91 Premier League goals is the second-highest after Aguero's 184. He is also the second-highest scorer in the Champions League for City (24). During his period at City, Sterling won four Premier League honors, four Carabao Cups, one FA Cup, and one Community Shield. He was also a runner-up in Champions League 2020-21.
Information
Numerous honors for Sterling
Sterling has bagged three Premier League Player of the Month awards. He was named in the Champions League Squad of the Season on two occasions. He won PFA Young Player of the Year and FWA Footballer of the Year in 2018-19.