Pep Guardiola has indicated that regular European football is more likely than the Premier League to help young talent make England successful.

The Manchester City manager believes players such as Raheem Sterling and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain will develop faster by playing in the later stages of the Champions League.

He has also hinted that the Premier League should be more flexible with its schedule to allow English teams to succeed in Europe.

Guardiola is of the opinion that the current generation of young English players, such as City’s Sterling and John Stones, Arsenal’s Oxlade-Chamberlain and Tottenham’s Dele Alli, are as good as any emerging talent anywhere in the world.

But he believes it is only by playing regularly at major European venues such as the Nou Camp, the Bernabeu and the Allianz Arena that England’s best young players can develop the right mental attitude to win major tournaments.

Sterling and Stones are set to line up against Oxlade-Chamberlain when City visit Arsenal in the Premier League on Sunday.

As far as Guardiola is concerned, all three can help England end the long wait for major international success that Spain endured before winning Euro 2008, a triumph that came 44 years after their last significant trophy.

England vs Lithuania player ratings Show all 13 1 /13 England vs Lithuania player ratings England vs Lithuania player ratings Joe Hart - 5 out of 10 Had absolutely nothing to do in the first-half, and yet still very nearly managed to fluff his lines. Haring off his line to punch a long pass clear, he was beaten to the ball by Nerijus Valskis and was relieved to see John Stones booting his header off the line. Getty Images England vs Lithuania player ratings Kyle Walker – 6 out of 10 Given license to press forward at every opportunity, Walker had a mixed first-half before growing into the game later on. He helped set up England's second goal with a good burst forward and almost set up Dele Alli for a third moments later. Getty Images England vs Lithuania player ratings John Stones – 7 out of 10 Has been increasingly impressive for Manchester City in recent weeks and continued his good form at Wembley. Like Keane he had very little work to do defensively but he was superb bringing the ball forward and starting England’s attacks. Incredibly, he barely misplaced a pass during the entire match. Getty Images England vs Lithuania player ratings Michael Keane - 6 out of 10 Had remarkably little to do in defence after a solid debut away to Germany on Wednesday night. Hit several inch-perfect diagonal passes. Looks like he belongs at this level. AFP/Getty Images England vs Lithuania player ratings Ryan Bertrand - 6 out of 10 Stationed so far forward that he often looked as if he was playing as a left-winger in a 4-3-3 system. Saw a lot of the ball in the first-half but occasionally wasteful in possession, and his final ball was often lacking. Unlikely to replace Danny Rose in Southgate’s staring XI when the Tottenham defender returns. Getty Images England vs Lithuania player ratings Eric Dier – 7 out of 10 Another assured display from England’s utility man. Showed great tactical awareness to regularly flit between a role in England’s defence and their midfield, and dealt confidently with Lithuania’s aerial threat. Very tidy with the ball at his feet. AFP/Getty Images England vs Lithuania player ratings Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain - 6 out of 10 An industrious performance, albeit not groundbreaking in any way. When Southgate named his starting XI it was assumed Oxlade-Chamberlain would be deployed out wide but instead he sat in central midfield alongside Eric Dier. Saw a well-struck long-shot nicely saved in the second-half. AFP/Getty Images England vs Lithuania player ratings Adam Lallana – 8 out of 10 Comfortably England’s best player. Ran confidently between the lines to draw out Lithuania’s deep defence and hit a number of impressive in-swinging crosses into the box to test their goalkeeper. Set up England’s second with a sublime flick into the path of Jamie Vardy. Getty Images England vs Lithuania player ratings Dele Alli – 6 out of 10 After an impressive display against Germany earlier in the week, Alli struggled to make much of an impression at Wembley. Was on the receiving end of some very rough treatment from Lithuania’s defenders and generally took a backseat as Sterling and Lallana impressed. AFP/Getty Images England vs Lithuania player ratings Raheem Sterling – 7 out of 10 Made a very bright start before fading in the second-half, where he was quickly replaced by Marcus Rashford. Created England’s goal by beating his man and hitting a superb low pass across the face of goal for Defoe to finish. Getty England vs Lithuania player ratings Jermain Defoe – 7 out of 10 Southgate took a gamble when he handed Defoe his first England call-up since 2013. Twenty minutes into this match and his decision was validated. Smashed home from close-range with confidence for his 20th international goal, and looked lively throughout. Getty Images England vs Lithuania player ratings Jamie Vardy - 6 out of 10 Replaced Jermain Defoe with half an hour left to play and did very well, linking up nicely with Alli and calmly finishing when played through by Lallana for England's second. Getty England vs Lithuania player ratings Marcus Rashford - 7 out of 10 Did exactly what you expect from a thirty minute Marcus Rashford cameo. Terrorised his marker, repeatedly cut inside and was desperately unlucky not to score, or assist a goal. Getty

He said: “From my experience in Spain and Germany and now here, you cannot imagine how good the young players here are.

“But then I could not imagine the generation of Frank Lampard, Michael Carrick, Paul Scholes, John Terry, Steven Gerrard and Rio Ferdinand were not able to do something more. As a spectator, I don’t understand.

“For example, compare it with Spain, who always talk about the generation of Xavi, Andres Iniesta, Xabi Alonso, Sergio Busquets. They are top players. But those players I mentioned before are of the same level.

“Kyle Walker, Dele Alli, Eric Dier, John Stones, Raheem Sterling, they are top. From my point of view, the quality is there and they have the quality at Under-19 and Under-21 level too.

“But it’s what you have to do to help that quality for the national team. Maybe they have to focus more on the European competitions so the guys can handle the important stages of the big competitions, and then go to the national team and play Germany, Italy, Spain and not have a problem.

“The talent is there, I have no doubts about that. They need to make that step. Spain was the same too. In my time we were always quarter-finals, quarter-finals, quarter-finals.

Guardiola has said players like Sterling need more time on the European stage to reach their potential (Getty)

“But players started to go abroad, Alonso went to Liverpool and Cesc Fabregas went to Arsenal and bang, semi-finals, finals, win, win, win.

“It’s the same with Manchester City a bit in the Champions League. When you arrive in Europe, you need time. But I think the quality like City have now is there and the England players can do it.”

Guardiola echoed past complaints from Jose Mourinho, the current Manchester United manager, and long-serving predecessor Sir Alex Ferguson about the demands placed by the English domestic fixture list on teams in European competition.

He said: “I have heard complaints in the past from Sir Alex, Jose Mourinho and a lot of players about the schedule being so complicated but it is what it is.