Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has called on Leroy Sane to get hungry.

Sane, last season's PFA Young Player of the Year, has yet to start a game this term and has been handed just 30 minutes of action from the bench in the champions' first four matches.

“It's normal, after what happened last season, that people ask about him," said Guardiola.

“His body language is the same as last season and he was the best young player in the Premier League. Leroy was so important, is so important, and will be so important for the club. There's no doubt about that. It's a challenge for him - not just for him, for everybody.

“He's a nice guy, so I don't have any bad words about him. We are here to try to help, not just him, but everybody.

“He's a competitive guy. He was so professional last season and he had competition as well - because Sterling could play in that position on the left. But this season, Bernardo Silva was the first one. He started in an incredible condition and he deserves to play. Sterling, when he played the two or three games he played, for example against Arsenal away or the last game here, he was playing good.

“It's a challenge for the players to keep their level and compete with their mates. It's the only way to maintain the level we achieved last season.

“It's not about, 'I don't like you anymore' or 'I prefer this one or the other one.' When I don't like one player, at the end of the season I go to the club and say I don't want to work with that guy, if it's possible, and I want to change them.

“That's not the case (with Sane). Everybody is here because after three seasons I want to work with them and I think they want to work with us.

“We cannot forget Leroy is 22. He will grow up. The most important thing and the most important issue we have is to help them to grow."