Perhaps fortune is changing for Manchester City in the Champions League. They were 2-1 down after 78 minutes and with Sevilla leading Juventus a golden chance to win Group D was slipping away.


But cometh the hour, cometh Raheem Sterling, who intervened with two strikes that may prove priceless. The first came from close range, the second a dipping finish. They gave City the lead, Sterling a 21st birthday to remember, and moments later Wilfried Bony poked home to make it three goals in five stunning minutes and the best chance of a favourable last-16 draw.


From the 2-0 shellacking Stoke gave City on Saturday Pellegrini made four changes. Out went Martín Demichelis, Bacary Sagna,
Fernando, who is injured, and Bony. In came Eliaquim Mangala, Gaël Clichy, Yaya Touré and Fabian Delph. It meant the manager fielded Sterling as a de facto No9, and that Bony had been given a snub that involved a wide forward by trade being preferred to his prowess as a time-served striker.