always thought it was about him having different instructions for him and Sane. Sane being told to hug the touch line, while Sterling was allowed to operate more as an inside forward
Sane scored 14 and 16 goals in the 2 title winning seasons. You don't score that amount of goals if you're instructed to hug the touch line.
Both wings have to score goals in Peps teams. The free wing on the opposite side has to get into the box attacking the far post. It's not about one wing playing primarily as an inside forward as it makes it too crowded with the #8/false 9's all playing inbetween the lines and half spaces. Or forgetting the FB's being inverted and playing in the half spaces also. In the final third the wings have to start wide to make the FB decide whether to defend them or the #8 on that side. If the FB goes out to defend the wing it stretches the low block from being compact which then creates more space for the #8/false 9 to play inbetween the lines and half spaces. With the rotation that Citeh do in attacking third the winger will find themselves in a inside forward position naturally. Whether it's the #8 pulling wide or the FB overlapping so the wing will generally end up between the opps FB and CB.