Manchester City midfielder Raheem Sterling admits the desire to put in a performance for his late father is what drives him on to leave everything on the football pitch.

The England man has been the centre of attention ever since he was a teenager, with the expectation undoubtedly ramped up following his £49million move from Liverpool back in July 2015.

That pressure has also carried into the international arena, with fans expecting something special almost every time he takes to the field with the Three Lions.

And while he isn’t able to produce a gem in every match, Sterling has certainly shown more than the odd flash of brilliance whoever he has turned out for.

That was never more evident than for England against Italy in the 2014 World Cup opener, delivering a mesmeric performance despite being on the losing side, making the No.10 role his own against one of the best defences in the world.

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And Sterling insists it’s the memory of his late father – who died in Kingston, Jamaica when he was young – that gives him the incentive to deliver his top game.

“I remember the Italy game like it was no time ago,” he said. “It was a massive game for me – I just thought to myself: ‘If only my dad was here’.

“So to myself I said: ‘I need to play well for him because he’s never been at a football match. He’s never seen me on a football pitch.’

“So I wanted to win that game and we never won in the end but it was an alright performance from me. I was just so determined to do well.

“Performing for my dad does drive me on. Especially in big games, massive games. Like the [FA Cup] semi-final against Arsenal coming up, that’ll be the next thing in my head about him.

“Whenever it comes to an important day like that he always runs through my head. You’re always thinking, ‘It’s a great atmosphere, great scenery, he never experienced this.’”

Jurgen Klopp is adamant he does not blame England boss Gareth Southgate after star midfielder Adam Lallana returned injured, but is far from happy with losing the Liverpool player.

Lallana could be out of action for up to four weeks with a thigh problem sustained during England’s 2-0 win over Lithuania, the second time he has returned to Melwood crocked.

The 28-year-old missed three games in November after England duty, and Klopp reacted angrily after learning one of his creative playmakers could miss a crucial period of the season for a second time.

Southgate phoned Klopp to ensure the relationship between Liverpool and England was not damaged, and the German admits they remain on civil terms.

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“I think it is absolutely normal to have contact with the national coach, the manager of the national team,” he said.

“So we are in kind of close contact because we met a few times already, and so that’s normal.

“I don’t think it’s about appreciating [it] or something, it’s about a normal situation; we both share players, not only with [each other]. [The phone call] is then a normal situation.

“I spoke already about it and of course I was not happy [with the injury]. I heard somebody said I was relaxed about the situation – I could not be less relaxed about this, but it is not about blaming Gareth Southgate.”

Mark Hughes insists there are no issues between Stoke City midfielder Joe Allen and Glenn Whelan, after the pair clashed on international duty last weekend.

Irishman Whelan caught Welshman Allen in the face with an elbow and the pair squared up in a heated battle, which also saw Ireland lose Seamus Coleman to a broken leg.

But Hughes insists their friendship remains intact and says the competitive nature of the game saw things boil over – with no after-effects seen in training between the midfield rivals.

“When I played, I’d kick my granny if she was the opposition,” Hughes said.

“They are team-mates, they enjoy each other’s company, they were playing for their countries and wanted to win.

“They were just displaying national fervour. I looked at it myself and I think Glenn was thinking he was going to crash into Joe, and he made an involuntary action in my view.

“I don’t think he actually threw an elbow, I think maybe he went to protect himself from the clash and he caught Joe on the chin, so that can happen.

“But you saw, almost immediately, Glenn saying he didn’t do it on purpose and he made that point quite forcefully on the pitch I think. It’s something of nothing.

“It happens more often in training games during the week, which people never hear about it, when the cameras aren’t on.”

Will he stay or will he go?

That question has been hanging over Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger’s head now for the best part of two months following the Gunners’ mid-season collapse, and club legend Ian Wright has had enough.

The North London side dropped down to sixth in the Premier League table and were humiliated by Bayern Munich in the Champions League in what has been a tumultuous period at the Emirates.

Their last chance of silverware is once again in the FA Cup – where they face Manchester City in the semi-finals – but fans have been calling for the head of the French manager after almost 21 seasons at the club.

And Wright – who scored 128 Arsenal goals and played under Wenger before being sold to West Ham – believes it is only fair for Wenger to let the fans know his decision.

“This is typical of the lack of leadership and direction at Arsenal. No one is making any decisions. Who’s running the club? Arsene is, obviously,” he said.

“He’s in the position where he can just do what he wants. He should be forced to say what he’s going to do.

“Somebody upstairs should be telling him, ‘Either you’re staying or you’re going. You must make an announcement’.

“Arsenal and the fans need stability over what is going to happen with the club’s future.

“The people above Arsene, if there is anyone, need to sort everything out. This wouldn’t happen at any other club — but it is at Arsenal because the board are so happy and so relaxed.

“They’re fat cats, business people. The club’s just a massive cash cow to those people. All they’re doing is ignoring the way fans feel.”

Harry Kane has always known how to find the back of the net according to former Spurs full-back Paul Konchesky, who played alongside the striker at Leicester.

Kane, who is currently out injured, spent a few months on loan at Leicester in 2013, scoring two goals in 13 games during his time there.

Konchesky spent five years with the Foxes and got to see Kane up close during that time and it was no surprise to him that the striker went onto become such a force.

Having reached 20 goals in each of the last three Premier League seasons, Kane trails only Alan Shearer when it comes to English strikers with 20-goal seasons, and Konchesky has been impressed by the way he has progressed since his time at the King Power Stadium.

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Konchesky said: “It was a tough time for Harry at Leicester. He didn’t play as much as he expected to play and he played out of position but you knew he had a goal in him.

“He knew where the goal was and you knew if he got a sniff of a chance, he’d usually stick the ball in the net.

“His work-rate was second to none. He’d give 110 per cent in training every day and you can see that now, that’s how he goes about his work and how he plays.

“You could see the potential if someone was going to trust him and in football now, you need that trust. He went back to Spurs, got his chance and he’s grabbed it with both hands.

“He’s a natural goalscorer and if you get a chance, you want it to fall to him. Hopefully he’ll be back from injury as soon as possible.”

Middlesbrough’s woes in front of goal are well-documented but Ben Gibson claims a change in fortunes is coming.

Boro have scored just 20 goals in 28 league games this term, easily the fewest in the Premier League.

Manager Aitor Karanka left the club last month, to be replaced by Steve Agnew, and it is that alteration which has Gibson confident that the goals will soon begin to flow.

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The defender has been part of a sturdy backline this term but knows that the problems at the other end of the pitch must be fixed if the Teessiders are to maintain their top-flight status.

“We want to dictate what happens in the game in our own style of play and use the ideas that Steve Agnew has tried to drip-feed into the squad of late,” said Gibson.

“He’s a creative coach, we might play more expansively, but ultimately we can’t neglect what we’ve done well this season.

“We’ve only had four wins this season and therein lies the problem. I still don’t think our position reflects our performances but it’s a results industry and we have to find a way to win.

“We do have to change – we’re not naive to think that what we’ve done is good enough.

“I see the quality these lads have in training every day, and that we have seen in parts this season.

“I certainly believe we have the right players, the right mindset and the right people around us to do it. Now’s time for the talking to stop, and for us to put our foot down.”

Manager Craig Shakespeare has warned Leicester City against complacency after an upturn in fortunes in the East Midlands over recent weeks.

The Premier League champions sacked Claudio Ranieri back in February but have managed to move themselves away from the relegation zone under Shakespeare.

However, there is still a long way to go for the Foxes who have six league games in April and play Atletico Madrid in the Champions League quarter-final over two legs.

And boss Shakespeare has warned that his side cannot afford to take their foot off the gas with such a lot of matches still to play.

He said: “There’s a lot of twists and turns to come and we’re proof of that. Three games ago in the Premier League we were down there and people were writing us off.

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“We know form and confidence can turn very quickly. We’ll be making sure that not only will we take each game as it comes, but there are a lot of points to still play for.

“I know that at the moment we’re in good form and playing with a lot of confidence.

“Humility has to be important and from my point of view we have to put it towards the players to keep them level-headed to make sure there’s no complacency.”

Despite admitting that you don’t have to be a rocket scientist to realise that clubs will be eyeing up a swoop for defender Michael Keane, Burnley boss Sean Dyche is concerned about the way possible suitors are going about it.

Fresh from making his England bow, centre-back Keane has been linked with a summer move away from Burnley, with Manchester United, Chelsea and Everton all rumoured to be interested in him.

Burnley are likely to make a hefty profit should they decide to cash in on the 24-year-old, who joined from Manchester United following a successful loan spell in January 2015.

But Dyche is not happy with the way other clubs are fluttering their eyelashes at Keane, with Everton manager Ronald Koeman admitting the Burnley man was “on our list” back in January.

“It’s not rocket science to work out there’s a few interested. It’s the usual chit-chat,” said Dyche.

“The game has changed radically, everyone knows everything, it’s like an open book now – I’ve never known anything like it.

“Managers just talk openly about contract situations, who they’re after, what their situation is.

“I’ve never seen anything like it. If a manager conducted himself like that ten years ago, he’d be asked, ‘What do you think you’re doing?

“No-one seems to do anything about it. You can only hope or presume the powers that be see it and think, ‘That’s not quite right’.”

Arsene Wenger claims there is more at stake than just three points when his side welcome Manchester City to the Emirates, on Sunday.

The Gunners are going through a barren run currently, without a Premier League win since a 2-0 victory over Hull City on February 11.

They go into the weekend sixth in the table, seven points behind Sunday’s opponents – but with a game in hand – and in danger of missing out on Champions League qualification.

And for Wenger, as important as the three points are, his side’s mental state is also at stake.

“I think it’s not only the period that matters – it is a decisive period – but also what is at stake for us is how we respond mentally to a disappointing period and how much we can focus and stick together now,” said the under-fire Frenchman.

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“We come out of a difficult period and we play at home in a very big game. It’s a good opportunity for us to bounce back.

“I think it’s two teams who, when you look at the numbers, have the best numbers of the final third in the league.

“That promises to be a very positive, attacking game. Both teams will attack – they go for it, we go for it, so it should be a promising game.

“Our season will now be decided by the next two months, but as well by the ability and the strength we can show together to fight and come back in a very convincing way.”

Pep Guardiola believes Manchester City have a secret weapon when they face Arsenal this weekend – Mikel Arteta.

Arteta became a fan favourite during his five years with the Gunners, but left the Emirates Stadium when he retired from playing in the summer.

A classy, ball-playing midfielder in his pomp, the Spaniard immediately joined Man City’s coaching staff and has helped his countryman Guardiola have a promising first year in charge.

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City and Arsenal are scrapping it out for a top-four spot in the Premier League – with City in third and the Gunners in sixth ahead of the weekend – and ahead their crucial clash on Sunday, the manager is hoping Arteta can help the Citizens find an edge.

“He is helping me a lot,” Guardiola said. “He knows the players individually, he knows Arsene Wenger, he knows what we are facing on Sunday and he has already warned me it is going to be a really tough game.

“Defeat would be bad, definitely. In these games with big teams, the team who is winning has big hopes and the other one a big low.

“There’s ten games left, so it’s the last part of the season. We spoke with the players about targets.”