There was little relief when Raheem Sterling tucked home against Paris Saint-Germain, a crucial goal which hauled Manchester City level in the Champions League. Instead, as he wheeled away to celebrate, his face sported sheer jubilation.
It was far from the tidiest strike he has scored in his career, but the forward knows they all count and will understandably be delighted with his recent hot streak which has led to him netting three goals in his last three City appearances.
Kyle Walker laid off to his team-mate after Ilkay Gundogan's inch-perfect ball, and Sterling did the rest, just about converting beyond Keylor Navas to equalise. From there, City continued to impress, with Sterling a constant threat down the left.
Raheem Sterling continued his resurgence after scoring in Manchester City's win over PSG
The in-form Sterling tucked home after Kyle Walker's pass for his third goal in as many games
Slowly but surely, he is getting back to his best and was similarly devastating against Everton at the weekend. Admittedly, he owed much to Joao Cancelo for his breath-taking assist, but Sterling rifling into the corner revealed all about his confidence.
So, having significantly added to his tally recently, Sterling is reminding previously sceptical supporters about why City bought him in and persevered with him. With the fixtures coming thick and fast, he will continue to be crucial for his club.
There is no denying, however, that speculation still swirls above his head. He fuelled the rumours himself at the Financial Times Business of Sport US Summit, having admitted he was open to moving abroad after struggling for game time.
Sterling admitted he would be open to leaving City, but has played himself back into the team
Pep Guardiola has often rotated his side and typically plays Jack Grealish down the left flank
'If there was an opportunity to go somewhere else, I'd be open to it at this moment in time,' Sterling said at the New York event, and also suggesting he would prefer heading to a club in France or Spain.
'As an English player, all I know is the Premier League,' he then went on to add. 'I've always known that maybe one day, I would love to play abroad and see how I would come up against that challenge.'
His indication that he would be open to setting up camp in Spain is apt in light of the flood of reports which have linked him with Barcelona. It is an open secret that Xavi, the new boss at the Nou Camp, is a long-standing admirer of the winger.
According to Sport, Sterling has now asked City to sanction a transfer to the LaLiga giants. On paper, this deal appears to make sense. Sterling wants more minutes on the field, and Barcelona are in desperate need of a spark to save their season.
Xavi, as revealed by Sportsmail, identified Sterling as a target if he even managed Barcelona
Sportsmail understands, though, that the club are likely to fail in their attempt to sign Sterling in the winter window. This comes despite Xaxi, back in 2019, identifying the former Liverpool man as a player he wanted to sign if he ever managed Barcelona.
Joan Laporta is looking at how to structure a deal, but they are yet to open talks with City and their financial woes make any potential switch difficult. Sterling banks up to £300,000-a-week, meaning City would have to subsidise a portion of those wages.
There is still a willingness at the Etihad to tie him down to a new contract, and City are reluctant to pull off any big moves in January, but Pep Guardiola has accepted that they will need to take another look at Sterling's dilemma if he does not extend.
Evidently, there are still plenty of question marks. What is certain is that Sterling has been offered a very attractive escape route in Barcelona. But will he take it? He looks reborn now, and next year promises to be significantly better than the current one.
It has been a mixed year for Sterling, but in his recent performances he has looked confident
It is important to stress at this point that Sterling's 2021 was a mixed bag, and certainly not the disaster that some have made it out to be. He has, after all, dazzled with England - and looks a player bursting to the brim with confidence and ability.
At Euro 2020, he was a national hero.
