Pep Guardiola has taken Raheem Sterling back to basics and he's been rewarded with a sensational start to the season... but the Manchester City winger insists he is not done yet

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Pep Guardiola's feelings are generally worn on his face and, as he nodded along to Raheem Sterling's assessment of his season so far, it became even clearer that the little winger is more than just a pawn in Manchester City's set.

Sterling was talking about his goals - seven already, just four behind his best ever haul - and more specifically that deflected effort away at Bournemouth in August.

The stoppage-time winner might well end up being City's tattiest of the year, bouncing and bobbling into the far corner and ending with Sterling ludicrously sent off for apparently celebrating in an overly-zealous fashion.

Raheem Sterling is pictured in training for Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium on Monday

Pep Guardiola watches on as Sterling addresses the media at a press conference

Yet it is clear Guardiola marks that as a hugely significant moment for his team, coming just five days after a draw against Everton (Sterling scored that night too), and his expression as the 22-year-old spoke reaffirmed the high regard with which he holds someone who is often unfairly maligned.

Sterling, for his part, is conscious of past failings. Chiefly, his composure in front of goal.

'It's something I've tried to improve, scoring more goals, being more efficient and being a bit more clinical,' he said. 'That's been a massive question mark to me over the last few years.

'I need to continue focusing on getting in the goalscoring areas. That's the most important thing for me, is trying to get inside the box, because that's where the majority of my goals come from.

'I'm hoping to get into double figures this year. As a player in my position, I need to be scoring goals more regularly.'

Sterling has spoken of his recent resurgence and how Guardiola has taken him back to basics

Sterling has scored six goals for his club so far this season, impressing along the way

Six in the Premier League put him level with Gabriel Jesus and Sergio Aguero; one behind Romelu Lukaku.

Guardiola starts Sterling on the right of a three, which is where he is expected to line up against Napoli on Tuesday evening, but allows him to go looking for pockets. While Manuel Pellegrini ordered him to hug the touchline, Sterling is now encouraged to dart beyond the central striker.

His finishing will never be completely ruthless but the improvement in hitting the right areas with runs will without doubt see him score more than ever before this season.

Pellegrini's coaching took time to correct, mind. Sterling felt his identity as a player had been lost somewhat with a focus on two-touch games in training. Not ideal for someone who likes to bear down on his marker and Guardiola grew frustrated he could not shake the two-touch habit earlier last season. Sideways will not do.

He has been implored to run at defenders, hit empty spaces and use his considerable pace and now we are seeing his reimagining, which Sterling labelled the basics.

'Pep's been massive for me especially with the simple stuff,' Sterling added. 'He always tries to get you to do the simple stuff at the top level and (that's) the real genius thing about him. He makes sure you do the simple things and it works.'

The winger says there is plenty of scope for him to continue to improve in a City shirt

Simple maybe but he has been liberated and the goals have flowed since. City sources talk of him knuckling down, listening intently to instructions, and the friendships formed with team-mates - most notably Leroy Sane, who he quickly took under his wing - have helped too.

As has the refusal to delve quite so deep into social media. Sterling is a sensitive man and the vitriolic criticism he received, particularly after Euro 2016, affected him hugely. He's turned off notifications on some platforms, Instagram being where the worst abuse came, and is learning to ignore any urges to take a look.

Sterling also disregarded interest from Arsenal in the summer as Arsene Wenger scrambled for a bargaining chip in negotiations over Alexis Sanchez. He had already spoken to Guardiola at great length in pre-season and was reassured of his position in the side after the arrival of Bernardo Silva from Monaco.

Silva, who can play wide as well as centrally, will become a terrific signing for City but certainly not at the expense of Sterling on the evidence of the first three months of this campaign.

Sterling was wanted by Arsenal in the summer but applied himself to finding his form at City