Raheem Sterling shows how Man City will benefit from international break despite injury scare

Nine times out of 10, if you utter the words 'international break' to a fan of a Premier League club, or even a manager for that matter, you'll be met with a groan, a sigh or some other negative response.

Many lament the risk of injuries and exhaustion faced by over-worked players travelling thousands of miles to play even more matches, or the fact that club coaches miss out on valuable time working with their players in the middle of the season.

Twelve Manchester City first-teamers went to represent their countries in the latest round of World Cup qualifiers and friendlies at a crucial point in the campaign that sees City embroiled in a tight title race and facing huge games in the Champions League.

READ MORE: Raheem Sterling shows how Man City will benefit from international break despite injury scare

However, as Pep Guardiola has always been keen to point out, representing one's nation is incredibly important for players. It is a duty we as supporters should not begrudge them for, particularly given that City might actually benefit from the recent exploits of their international stars.

Raheem Sterling could arguably be the biggest beneficiary. After enjoying a purple patch of form between November and February, the winger has dipped again in recent weeks and has fallen behind Jack Grealish as Guardiola's preferred left-wing option.

On Tuesday night though he was exceptional for England, scoring and assisting as he captained the Three Lions to a 3-0 friendly win against Ivory Coast. The boy from Brent was a constant menace attacking down the left flank, the assist he provided for Ollie Watkins' opener the highlight of his performance.

It was typical Sterling; he tied the full-back in knots with some dazzling