Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola is ever the perfectionist as he tells Leroy Sane he must improve despite four goals in five Premier League matches

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It was not long into an explanation of Leroy Sane’s value to Manchester City’s mellifluous attack that Pep Guardiola checked himself to deliver the kind of message that undoubtedly underpins all his work.

A fourth goal in five Premier League games from Sane had provided the platform for City’s eight successive win in the competition but even when administering praise Guardiola also makes a point.

‘He is a guy with a special talent,’ said City’s manager. ‘He can run in behind so the opponent on that side knows he’s a guy who can attack the byline.

Pep Guardiola believes Leroy Sane has a 'big, big gap to improve' after scoring again for City

‘Of course he scored a fantastic goal, but I’ve always said to him – and to Raheem, another goal, seven games, seven goals – that they still have a big, big gap to improve.

‘I would like to tell them to be calm. Scoring goals is so important, playing well is so important, but still they can do better. I don’t have any doubts about that, because they are still young. We will take the opportunity to work with them and maybe we can help them.’

How? ‘In the simple things,’ replied Guardiola without missing a beat. ‘When he has the ball, don’t lose the ball. I don’t ask him to dribble, I don’t ask him to make good passes, or ask him to do good shots. It is the simple things. In both of them, they have this important thing to do.’

Raheem Sterling, arriving as a second-half substitute, scored what turned out to be the winner to continue his productive season so warranted Guardiola’s attention but Sane was the player who most affected the game at the Hawthorns.

The 21-year-old has scored four Premier League goals in his last five appearances

Not only was his early goal an example of sharp thinking and precision technique but he stretched West Bromwich Albion’s backline right into the closing stages with purposeful running. After Fernandinho’s strike he also had a role in Sterling’s goal, exchanging quick passes with Kevin De Bruyne to tease apart a well-drilled defence that was then breached by Kyle Walker’s cross.

It was another performance to enhance Sane’s growing influence in a team crowded by attacking flair, and he is still just 21-years-old.

That he has fought his way to such a position having been out of Guardiola’s plans at the start of the campaign following a poor pre-season speaks of his mental strength too. He started one of the first five games but has missed just six minutes of the last five to become City’s most played forward in that period, ahead of De Bruyne and David Silva. In the last seven games, he has scored six and assisted four more.

If those are impressive individual statistics, it is the same for the team. City have now set the best 10-game start to a Premier League season, bettering their record from 2011-12 by one higher goal difference.

De Bruyne is not about to subscribe to claims the side might replicate Arsenal’ s Invincibles.

‘To go unbeaten? Well, it’s very hard. I don’t think it will be possible,’ said the Belgian. ‘The level of competition is so high, in every team. It’s not like, with all respect, 10 or 15 years ago where you have a couple of teams that won’t win against the top teams. Now, every game is hard and you need to be mentally there.

Guardiola would like to see improvement from Sane and Raheem Sterling in the 'simple things'

‘And with the Champions League and all the cups, there will be a game where maybe we are a little bit less and maybe lose. But as long as it keeps going, it’s good. You keep maintaining pressure. ‘Hopefully, we can have two good games this week and go into the international break unbeaten and it will mean we put a lot of pressure on the rest.’

For West Brom, goals by Jay Rodriguez and Matt Phillips late on made the scoreline kinder than it might have been. Tony Pulis’s side have not won since the second week of the season to slide towards the relegation zone, but Kieran Gibbs believes the tide will turn.

‘I think we need to close off a few games, like Watford and Leicester, when you go in front it’s important to remain focused for 90 minutes,’ he said. ‘I don’t think the results reflect the performances in some games but in others we haven’ t been good enough individually.

‘The effort is there with the team and everyone is relaxed and enjoying being competitive in training in the week and giving 100 per cent in the games.’