Manchester City boss Manuel Pellegrini said England star Raheem Sterling was already proving his worth in a light blue shirt, after the £49million man hit the post and set up a goal in their 2-0 win at Everton.
The 20-year-old winger enjoyed an entertaining battle with Everton right-back Seamus Coleman while looking threatening throughout.
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Sterling played in Aleksandar Kolarov for City’s opener, and despite being replaced on 76 minutes he gave his side the width to get in behind Everton’s defence.
“We have a different pace with Sterling,” said Pellegrini. “It's a different way to play for us, and it's important to have different things to do during the game.
“It's important to have as good a squad as this because we play so many games in a season.”
Meanwhile in-demand England defender John Stones shone against one of the Premier League’s most threatening attacking forces.
The 21-year-old, alongside his international team-mates Phil Jagielka, Tom Cleverley, and Ross Barkley, contributed a fine performance despite the result – proving just why Chelsea are after his services.
England U19s defender Brendan Galloway also started for Everton, but went off through injury and was replaced by U20s counterpart Tyias Browning.
England striker Rickie Lambert played 30 minutes in West Brom’s 3-2 home defeat to Chelsea, with Gary Cahill also coming off the bench for the Blues just before the hour mark.
And Jay Rodriguez continued his comeback from an anterior cruciate knee ligament injury as he came off the bench in Southampton’s goalless draw at Watford. England Under-21s midfielder James Ward-Prowse was given 20 minutes as a replacement.
