Sterling hits brace as City beat West Ham

Record Manchester City signing Rodri made his debut and Raheem Sterling scored twice as the Premier League champions came from behind to beat West Ham United 4-1 yesterday in China.West Ham took the lead with a Mark Noble penalty before City levelled through David Silva, then Lukas Nmecha scored from the spot to give Pep Guardiola’s side the half-time lead. England international Sterling, who enjoyed his best season last year for club and country, scored a brace in the second half as West Ham’s defence went AWOL in Nanjing.Guardiola fielded a mixture of first-team regulars and reserves with Silva leading the side and Kevin De Bruyne, who missed most of last season injured, a second-half substitute. He was joined after the break by German winger Leroy Sane, who has been linked with a big-money move to Bayern Munich.Spanish international midfielder Rodri joined City earlier this month on a five-year deal from Atletico Madrid. The 23-year-old officially became a City player a day after the La Liga club revealed the 70-million-euro ($78.5mn) release clause in his contract had been triggered.After the match Guardiola said that he will let his players decide who will captain the side following the departure of long-time skipper Vincent Kompany. The captain’s armband is up for grabs at City after Kompany left at the end of last season after 11 years in Manchester to take up a player-coach role at Anderlecht, the club at which the 33-year-old started his career.“We will choose the team captain. We will wait until everyone is back and they will choose their captain,” said Guardiola.City’s arrival in China for the Premier League Asia Trophy was twice put back because of an “administrative issue” — likely to have infuriated a perfectionist like Guardiola. But if it bothered the English champions it did not show, Sterling sealing a handsome City win with composed finishes on the hour and then again soon after.Guardiola warns Sane amid Bayern linkMeanwhile, Guardiola warned Sane he only wanted to keep players at City who are happy to be at the club. The German winger has been strongly linked with a move to German champions Bayern Munich and found himself frozen out at times last season.Former Bayern boss Guardiola gave mixed messages about the future of the 23-year-old. Asked whether he expected Sane to stay, Guardiola replied, “Yes”, and initially refused to say more. But later Guardiola described Sane as having “a special quality that is hard to find”.City have offered Sane a new contract, but casting fresh doubt on the Germany international’s future, Guardiola added: “We want people here to be happy. He knows, they all know, it’s difficult (to get games) because of the quality we have. But at the same time I spoke to the club 10 times, I want people here to be happy, if they don’t want to be here, they go.” Guardiola was brief in his response when asked about reported interest in Leicester City’s England defender Harry Maguire. “Leicester player,” he replied, refusing to say more.