CHARLIE Daniels described as “one of the best England players we’ve produced” Manchester City’s Raheem Sterling – but insisted he was not the only player Cherries needed to stop.
Full-back Daniels, who last week returned to Premier League action for the first time since March following kneecap surgery, could end up marking the England international at Vitality Stadium on Sunday (2pm).
Sterling has 10 goals in nine games against Cherries in all competitions.
He has already got off to a blistering start this campaign, netting a hat-trick in a victory over West Ham in a 5-0 romp for Pep Guardiola’s men before scoring in a 2-2 draw with Tottenham.
The 24-year-old also struck against former club Liverpool in this month’s Community Shield.
Talented Sterling scored a dramatic late winner and was sent off when Cherries were beaten 2-1 by City at Vitality Stadium in August 2017.
A thumping strike from Daniels had put Eddie Howe’s men ahead on that occasion.
Asked about the prospect of facing up against Sterling, Daniels told the Daily Echo: “He is on the top level. You see how much he has progressed under the manager.
“He wanted to prove himself, you can see the rewards he’s got now. He is easily one of the best England players we’ve produced and is going to be a tough one to stop.
“But he is not the only one. You can go through the whole team and they have a lot of threats. We need to be on our A-game if we are going to get anything.”
Also quizzed on Sterling, manager Howe added: “He is a player that’s done very well against us in recent seasons. He is an outstanding talent, he’s added a huge consistent run of goals to his game which has made him even better.
“I think he is certainly someone we are going to have to keep quiet but then you look through their team and they’ve got players in the attacking positions you are going to have to deal with.
“We hope to keep him quiet and nullify his strengths but he is certainly in very good form.”
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