What Role Should Raheem Sterling Play for Man City as the Season Progresses?

It’s been a quite a week for Raheem Sterling. The Manchester City star turned 21 on Tuesday and on the same day scored a double in his side’s 4-2 Champions League win over Borussia Monchengladbach—a result which saw them top Group D.

It’s been a long wait for City to finish first in a Champions League group. Four times previously they had failed. They can now look forward to Monday's last-16 draw with optimism rather than dread.

Many saw it as Sterling’s coming-of-age performance, and not just because it fell on his 21st birthday. It was a brave, confident and impressive display—a clear example of exactly why City were so keen to sign him from Liverpool this summer.

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His start to life at the Etihad Stadium has been mixed. Some games have seen him confined to the periphery, unable to influence matches or damage the opposition in the way he would like. Throw in some haphazard finishing and hesitancy in possession, and some have questioned the wisdom of sanctioning an initial £44 million move.

But City had him watched in detail. Txiki Begiristain, the club’s sporting director, and Manuel Pellegrini, the manager, were in no doubt the club had to sign him. When top young English talent comes onto the market, the kind that ensures long-term home-grown quality, you simply have to make a move, even if it means paying a premium.

Sir Alex Ferguson did it with Wayne Rooney back in 2004. Newcastle United showed their hand and looked likely to tie up a deal, so Ferguson acted. There was no way Rooney was going anywhere other than Old Trafford.

Interspersed between Sterling’s underwhelming performances have been some genuinely impressive displays. His pace frightened Chelsea early in the campaign, and they struggled to contain him. His hat-trick against Bournemouth in October showcased his superb technique and ability. In Seville at the start of November, he gave a complete performance—devastating from start to finish—as City gave their best Champions League display to date. And his double against Gladbach underlined his growing maturity.

Eight goals in 22 appearances. He’s the real deal.

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Any inconsistencies can, of course, be written off as a product of his youthfulness and the transition he’s made from one style of play to another. Joining a side as ambitious as City, and with as much quality in their squad, is not easy for a young player. Looking sporadically overawed is surely expected.

It’s also been a far from settled start. Much like during his time at Anfield, he has flitted between different roles for the Blues. Primarily, he’s played on the left of a 4-2-3-1 formation, but he’s also played as a second striker and lone striker.

This, Pellegrini hopes, will make him a well-rounded player capable of moving around the pitch effortlessly.

On the left he brings balance to City’s attack. So often last season they were lopsided going forward. Sterling stretches defences, even when he’s having a quiet game, and that allows some of City’s more creative players space in central areas to hurt the opposition. He tends to cut inside, using his ability to beat players to cause problems.

Against Sevilla in the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium, perhaps his most accomplished performance yet, he was superb on the left. Every time he picked up the ball, it felt as though he could beat his man. He’d skip outside or run at speed inside, causing havoc when he entered the box, with Sevilla defenders scared of challenging him.

This is where he is likely to be used the most this season, but the more central positions he has occupied this term are perhaps where Pellegrini sees him playing in the future.

With Sergio Aguero out injured, Pellegrini has sometimes played Sterling just off Wilfried Bony. The England man’s pace and movement alongside the power and back-to-goal ability of the Ivorian has worked well, with Sterling scoring his three goals against Bournemouth in that position.

It seems if you play him just off the right kind of striker, one who will look to use his physicality to hold the ball up and bring others into play, Sterling can flourish.

And on Tuesday against Gladbach, he started by playing as a lone forward, assisted by a supporting cast of attack-minded midfielders. This saw him use his pace to run in behind defenders, stretching the game and allowing him more freedom to use his movement to cause problems.

Sterling has shown already in his short time at City he is adaptable and capable of developing his game even further. Pellegrini, clearly, has high hopes for him. For now, he's likely to continue playing on the left more regularly, but there's scope to move him inside and utilise him differently whenever the manager sees fit.

PAUL ELLIS/Getty Images

Those who have criticised Sterling should perhaps remember his age. How many players are showing as much potential and match-winning quality as him in their late teens and early 20s? Very few—and even fewer when you factor in his home-grown status.

His display against Gladbach was, for many, the moment they felt he had the quality to justify the fee City paid to Liverpool. Not only did he score two crucial goals that turned the tie and saw City move top of the group, he set up David Silva’s opener with a beautifully inventive backheel. His performance was a mix of pace, precociousness and intelligence.

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“It was his birthday—I told him before the game that the minimum he had to do was score two goals," Pellegrini said afterward. “I’m not joking—I told him that."

Sterling was clearly aware of what he had achieved. “It’s something I’ve been dreaming of all my life,” he said. “It’s a brilliant thing for the boys. We made it hard at times but we won the game and showed character."

It probably ranks as one the finest moments of his career so far, but there will be plenty more to come.

Rob Pollard is Bleacher Report's lead Manchester City correspondent and will be following the club from a Manchester base throughout the 2015/16 season. All quotes were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. Follow him on Twitter @RobPollard_.