Raheem Sterling believes Kevin De Bruyne is Manchester City's answer to Luis Suarez.

The England winger was a Liverpool teammate of the Uruguayan's at Anfield when Suarez scored 31 league goals in the 2013-14 season and won the Footballer of the Year award.

Now after his £49 million move to City, Sterling is teaming up with De Bruyne, who was named the best footballer in last season's Bundesliga before leaving Wolfsburg in a £54 million deal.

The Belgian scored twice in Tuesday's 4-1 Capital One Cup win over Hull to take his City tally to nine goals in all competitions, while he also has eight assists.

And Sterling sees similarities with Suarez, saying: "Most definitely. Every top team needs a player who scores and assists goals so regularly like Kevin does. It's most important. That's what big players do and we're happy to have him at this football club.

"With Suarez, you knew once he got in and around the box, you knew what he was capable of doing, usually it ended with a goal. It's the same with Kevin, he looks for other players ... look at the assists he's got already and he's got goals in him regularly as well.

Kevin De Bruyne and Raheem Sterling both joined Manchester City this summer. Michael Steele/Getty Images

"He's a top player. He's someone that gets in and around the box and creates and scores goals. That's great for us to have, every team needs a player like that."

De Bruyne only started two league games in a brief spell at Chelsea but recorded 16 goals and 27 assists in all competitions for Wolfsburg last season.

And Sterling added: "I didn't see him much at Chelsea to be honest. Not many of us did. But if you saw him in Germany, the number of goals he was involved in, it was obvious he had quality.

"It's always a test for players to come to England, play regularly and contribute but that's what he's done. Credit to him, he's been incredible."

Sterling believes he has struck up a good relationship with De Bruyne, on and off the pitch.

"He's someone I work with every day and someone I get on really well with," he said. "We arrived in the same summer. And it's so good to have someone like that in the squad. He's a funny guy, quiet, gets on with everyone in the team."

Sterling has scored six goals himself and manager Manuel Pellegrini has challenged him to beat his previous best of 11 in a campaign as he looks to become more prolific.

"I always look to beat my total from the last season and I'm on course to do that," he said. "I got 11 last year, if I can top that I'll be happy."