Kevin de Bruyne has hailed the new season form of Manchester City teammate Raheem Sterling.

The Manchester City winger was one of the chief flops in the dismal summer campaign under Roy Hodgson which ended with a desperate defeat against Iceland.

Stoke's fans showed they haven't forgotten by jeering Sterling every time he got on the ball at the Britannia Stadium - leaving De Bruyne mystified.

But he warned anyone thinking of repeating it that they are wasting their time after Sterling helped inspire City to a third successive win to start the season under Pep Guardiola.

Belgium star De Bruyne said: “I don't know why this happened because he's a great English player.

“They should be supporting him instead of booing him. But that's the way it goes. The City supporters will cheer him.

“He's a great player. I don't care what people say about him after last year or the Euros. These things happen, footballers have ups and downs.

“I don't know how it goes in England when he plays for the national team. Obviously he's been criticised a lot in the last year but the way he's responding is great. You can talk as much as you want off the pitch but you have to show it on.

“I don't think he's really bothered about people talking about him. Everywhere he goes in England there are lots of fans of the opposing team shouting at him."