Alan Shearer expressed strong dissatisfaction and confusion following an incident involving Raheem Sterling denying Cole Palmer a penalty during Chelsea’s tense FA Cup quarter-final win against Leicester City. With Chelsea leading 1-0 due to Marc Cucurella’s early goal, Sterling was fouled in the box, presenting an opportunity for Chelsea to extend their lead. Despite Palmer’s perfect penalty record and evident confidence, he initially stepped up to take the penalty but then yielded to Sterling after a brief disagreement.
Sterling’s poorly executed penalty was saved by Leicester’s goalkeeper, Jakub Stolarczyk, adding to the frustration. Although Palmer managed to score a second goal just before halftime, Leicester mounted a strong comeback in the second half. Despite being down to ten men, they managed to equalize the score through a series of events, including an own goal by Axel Disasi and a stunning strike by Stephy Mavididi.
Shearer, along with former Manchester City defender Micah Richard and Arsenal veteran Martin Keown, criticized Sterling’s decision to override Palmer, questioning his motives and emphasizing the importance of sticking to established penalty takers, particularly in such crucial matches. Shearer dismissed suggestions that Sterling was seeking to boost his confidence, asserting that winning the FA Cup quarter-finals should take precedence over individual considerations.
However, Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino defended the players’ decision, attributing it to their relationship from their time at Manchester City and stating his support for their choices on the field. He emphasized the players’ autonomy in making decisions and expressed satisfaction with their maturity in handling such situations.
Following their victory over Leicester City, Chelsea was drawn to face Premier League champions Manchester City in the FA Cup semi-finals, while Manchester United would take on Championship side Coventry City in the other semi-final. The match against Manchester City promised to be a challenging encounter, with both teams vying for a spot in the final.
