Dujon Sterling is gaining praise for his performances in the Championship on loan with Stoke City. Head coach Alex Neil heaped praise onto the Cobham graduate after The Potters' 2-0 win at Preston on Saturday afternoon.
Sterling moved to Stoke at the end of the summer transfer window for his second loan away from Chelsea after playing at Blackpool last season.
"Dujon, for me, is arguably one of the best one-v-one defenders I've ever seen," Neil said on Saturday. "Very, very few people get past him. He's strong, he's powerful, he's determined."
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The 22-year-old has started all four of Stoke's games since the international break, with the last two ending in victories against Sheffield United and Preston.
As he did under Neil Critchley for Blackpool, Sterling is showing his versatility already, playing as a left and right wingback for Stoke, who currently play in a 3-4-1-2 formation after Alex Neil joined in late August. Sterling was briefly involved in Chelsea's pre-season preparations at Cobham before it became clear under Thomas Tuchel that another loan would prove beneficial.
However, with the recent injury to Reece James that will keep him out until after the World Cup in Qatar, concerns over backup in that area for Graham Potter have again become a topic of conversation amongst supporters.
Football.London spoke to Sterling last season during his time at Blackpool and how his versatility has allowed him to quickly gain trust.
“It gives managers confidence that they can play me in any position, and I can get the job done for the team,” Sterling says. “It also gives my teammates confidence that no matter where I am on the pitch, they can give me the ball and trust me.”
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