Raheem Sterling’s shocking penalty miss against Leicester is slammed by Martin Keown – as angry Chelsea fans call him out for taking it off Cole Palmer

Pundits and football fans have criticized Raheem Sterling after his shocking missed penalty in Chelsea’s FA Cup clash against Leicester.

Sterling decided to take the penalty he won after a clumsy foul by Abdul Fatawu, which could have given the Blues a comfortable early 2-0 lead.

However, the experienced winger misconnected the ball and went straight down the middle, giving Leicester goalkeeper Jakub Stolarczyk an easy time.

Martin Keown in the comment said: He is certainly (a surprise) one of the players you look for in this new generation of Chelsea players to be sure and he hits it straight down the middle.

‘There’s no quality to that at all. No real purpose, no power, comfortable for the goalkeeper.

His penalty went straight into the center of the Leicester goalkeeper, wasting the opportunity to make it 2-0.

He later shot wide in the one-on-one against the Leicester goalkeeper.

During the BBC’s half-time analysis, Gary Lineker said it was “strange” for Raheem Sterling to take the ball away from Cole Palmer, when he had scored five in his last seven, compared to Palmer’s five in five.

Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and Dion Dublin agreed that Chelsea captain Conor Gallagher should have spoken to Sterling.

Hasselbaink said: ‘Gallagher, as captain, you should go to Sterling and say no, he’s the penalty taker. He has made it five in a row, he has scored all five. He needs to take it. It’s 1-0, let’s secure this match.”

Dublin added: ‘We talk about leaders and those who take command on the field. The captain has to say ‘okay Palmer, that’s it, you’re taking it, sorry Raheem, I’ll talk to you at half-time. That’s what’s happening, there are no questions’; we will deal with the arguments later.’

Fans also criticized Sterling for taking the penalty to Cole Palmer, who has taken them regularly this season.

One fan said: ‘Pick up the pen on Palmer and miss. I no longer have words for Sterling. It just came out.’

Tom Overend commented: ‘Raheem Sterling taking that penalty away from Palmer is very poor.

‘Palmer is our catcher, and undermining him as a senior player doesn’t show leadership. Very disappointing.’

Sterling had a disappointing first half, but did get an assist just before the break.

Daniel Childs also wrote: ‘As you were. Pathetic on Sterling’s part all around.

Sterling had another glorious chance just before half-time when he went one-on-one.

He decided to try to chip the goalkeeper but his shot went way off the post.

Keown said: “Well, that burst of pace in the central area times his run perfectly and it’s this moment, what’s he going to do?” He puts it tremendously wide. Oh my God, if you look at that from another angle you’ll see how far away it was, it wasn’t even close.’

At half-time, Dublin said: ‘For years and years, Raheem has been in these situations and he’s not very good at them.

‘When you find yourself in those situations you have to know what is happening. Gary, you’ve done it for years and years. On the shoulders of the defenders, you know what shot you will use before you get into that position. He is thinking ‘what am I going to do’ and he is wrong. However, he occupies very good positions.”

Hasselbaink added: “He’s not good at finishing when he has time and has to think.” He is very good at finishing when he is instinctive and fast and marks them. It is brilliant. When he has time, a lot of things go through his mind and he chooses the wrong run and that’s what he did there.

To Sterling’s credit he set up Chelsea’s second goal moments later when Palmer saved his cross.