Alan Shearer expressed both anger and confusion following Raheem Sterling’s controversial decision to take a penalty kick instead of his teammate Cole Palmer during Chelsea’s FA Cup quarter-final victory over Leicester City. Chelsea, already leading 1-0 thanks to Marc Cucurella’s early goal, had an opportunity to extend their lead when Sterling was fouled in the box midway through the first half.
Initially, Palmer, who had a flawless record from penalty kicks that season, stepped up to take the penalty. However, after a brief disagreement with Sterling, Palmer relinquished the opportunity to his teammate. Unfortunately for Chelsea, Sterling’s weak attempt was saved by Leicester’s goalkeeper, Jakub Stolarczyk. Despite this setback, Palmer managed to score a second goal just before halftime.
Leicester mounted a strong comeback in the second half, with Axel Disasi’s comical own goal giving them hope. Stephy Mavididi then stunned Stamford Bridge with a curling equalizer. Despite being reduced to ten men, Leicester seemed poised to force extra time before Chelsea secured their spot in the semi-finals with late goals from Carney Chukwuemeka and Noni Madueke.
Shearer, speaking on The Rest is Football podcast, voiced his incredulity at Sterling’s decision, questioning why he would usurp Palmer, who had been Chelsea’s standout performer all season and had a perfect penalty record. He dismissed the idea that Sterling was trying to boost his confidence, emphasizing the importance of the FA Cup quarter-finals and the need to prioritize team success over individual motives.
Micah Richards suggested that Sterling may have been seeking to boost his confidence with a successful penalty conversion, but Shearer dismissed this as “Bulls***,” emphasizing the significance of the match. Martin Keown also criticized Sterling for “pulling rank” over Palmer.
However, Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino downplayed the incident, attributing it to the strong relationship between Sterling and Palmer from their time together at Manchester City. He expressed confidence in his players’ decision-making on the pitch and supported their autonomy in such situations.
Following their victory over Leicester, Chelsea were drawn to face Premier League champions Manchester City in the FA Cup semi-finals, while Manchester United would face Championship side Coventry City in the other semi-final. This set the stage for an intriguing clash between two of England’s top clubs in the quest for FA Cup glory.
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