Sunday 31 December 2017 13:46, UK
Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson is wary of an improved Raheem Sterling when Manchester City visit Selhurst Park on Sunday.
Hodgson worked with Sterling at Liverpool before handing him his England debut and making him a key part of his team.
But Sterling's move to Manchester City has seen the forward reach new heights under Pep Guardiola, according to Hodgson, who left his role as England manager after their Euro 2016 exit.
"He's added goals to his game and he's starting to get into the penalty box a lot more," Hodgson said. "You must give credit to the club for the work they are doing.
"Over the last two seasons, I've started to see signs of his maturity. When players burst onto the scene very young like Raheem did and everyone starts to rave about them and talk about their potential, it can very often work against them.
"They need time to get matches under their belt, to get the maturity.
"What I'm seeing is a player who still has the same level of ability, the same pace to be able to beat a man, but also a more mature individual who really understands what being a top Premier League player in a top Premier League team is about.
"Like Raheem, [my former England players] are maturing all the time. Harry Kane is maturing all the time, Dele Alli, Jordan Henderson, Jack Wilshere; all of these guys.
"It's now two years down the road since I last worked with them [Euro 2016]. That's two years of playing Premier League football and Champions League football: I've always said that makes a big difference."
Sterling, like Hodgson, has been heavily criticised for the failings of the England national team, but the 70-year-old believes the criticism is something the forward will have to get used to.
"I'm sorry but if you want to play for England then that's par for the course," he said. "That's the way things are. Once you put the England shirt on, just get ready for abuse. You also get a lot of praise if it goes well.
"I'm sure he's handled that very well and I'm sure he's got a very bright England future, like a lot of those players that I was working with during my time there because I think they have great quality and potential."
