Raheem Sterling is the new Andy Carroll
As Liverpool beat Manchester City on Sunday, one thought was inescapable. Is Raheem Sterling the new Andy Carroll?
Do you know that Sterling has never had a shot on target against the Reds? I learned that on the Blood Red podcast. It’s mad.
And hearing that cast the mind back to another player who always had a stinker against his former side, but this story has a little twist because the man is Big AC and the ex-team is Newcastle United.
Remember when Andy Carroll was through on goal during his first season at Anfield. He was baring down on the Toon net, and that slightly mesmerising way that was more mystical than beautiful as his long limbs were pumping and that hair was flying and we were all getting ready to celebrate. And then. And then…
More from Rush The Kop
- Set to return, Virgil Van Dijk facing heavy criticism back home
- Liverpool making late comebacks all the rage once again
- Wolves tilt gives Klopp opportunity to tinker with lineup following international duty
- Players to watch in the matchup with Wolves
- Predicting Liverpool’s Next Five Premier League Fixtures
There was nothing. No ripple of the net, no hugging your mates. Nothing.
Carroll tripped over his own feet and the Magpies were spared having their former favourite son score against them. I don’t think the striker wanted to hit the back of the net, he didn’t have it in them.
Raheem Sterling might want to score against the Kop and celebrate as a reign of boos and jeers fell down on him, but he doesn’t have it in him either.
For some reason, there is a mental block when it comes to Sterling and playing well at Anfield for City. He’s never managed it. Liverpool just get under his skin and know how to take their former prodigy away from the game.
He’s been one of the best players in the world for the past 18 months but when his feet get back in the red half of Merseyside that all goes down the swanny and just like Andy Carroll he loses the ability to hit his former employer where it hurts.
And now he’s been dropped from England duty after Joe Gomez got in that bonce of his as well. As if this weekend couldn’t get any better.
Next. Liverpool’s 32 best signings under Brendan Rodgers. dark
No doubt Sterling will be back to his best after the international break but that’ll only do more to confirm this hypothesis. You read it here first, Raheem Sterling is the new Andy Carooll.