Pep Guardiola says Raheem Sterling is "an incredibly important player" to Manchester City - as he continues a dramatic turnaround in fortunes having been hinting at an Etihad exit just four months ago.

The 27-year-old scored a hat-trick as City beat Norwich 4-0 at Carrow Road on Saturday to extend their lead at the top of the Premier League to 12 points.

"For his confidence it will be massive," said City boss Guardiola. "The first goal is brilliant - when Raheem executes without thinking, he is excellent.

"I am so happy for him because strikers need to score for confidence for the next games. He had a fantastic game, especially after the goal he was confident and more aggressive, direct and scored a fantastic goal.

"He has been an incredibly important player in all these seasons, with all the goals and assists, and when he has confidence he's a really, really important player."