Martin Keown has hailed "outstanding" Raheem Sterling for his game-changing performance in Manchester City's comeback win over Real Madrid on Wednesday night.
Gabriel Jesus and Kevin De Bruyne, the latter from the penalty spot, netted in the final 12 minutes as City beat the Spanish giants 2-1 on a famous night at the Bernabeu Stadium.
The result put City, who are banned from the competition for the next two years, in sight of a place in the quarter-finals. The second leg of the last-16 tie is at the Etihad Stadium in three weeks.
Guardiola had sprung a surprise by naming fit-again Sterling and top scorer Sergio Aguero on the bench and playing striker Jesus on the left wing, but his plan worked brilliantly.
And Keown believes allowing Sterling to come off the bench and change the game was a brilliant tactic from Guardiola.
Writing in his column for the Daily Mail , Keown said: "Manchester City's comeback was down to the magnificent movement of Raheem Sterling, and this is something the 25-year-old has mastered under Pep Guardiola.
"Sterling was brought off the bench in the 73rd minute. In the 78th, he made an off-the-ball run behind Real Madrid's defence, before Kevin De Bruyne joined his team-mate in support.
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