Raheem Sterling sends message to Chelsea supporters after shocking display in front of goal

Raheem Sterling’s recent Chelsea performances have fallen short of his usual standard, leading to his exclusion from the most recent England squad, and Sunday’s FA Cup tie against Leicester certainly didn’t help his cause.

Chelsea took the lead early in the first half through Marc Cucurella, and the game looked to have been heading away from Leicester when Sterling was fouled, earning a first-half penalty and opting to take the spot kick instead of the designated taker, Cole Palmer.

The Chelsea forward aimed to place the ball down the middle, but his shot veered to the goalkeeper’s right, resulting in a comfortable save by Leicester’s Jakub Stolarczyk.

Later in the half, the England international failed to convert a one-on-one opportunity but managed to assist Palmer’s goal before halftime, extending Chelsea’s lead to 2-0. However, as the Blues squandered their advantage in the second half, Sterling faced criticism for sending a free-kick over the crossbar from the edge of the box.

Chelsea fans demanded Mauricio Pochettino to substitute him off, leading to Sterling’s replacement and a mixed reception of applause and boos.

Raheem Sterling apologises to Chelsea fans

Luckily for Sterling his wayward finishing did not hinder Chelsea’s performance. Nevertheless, the 29-year-old chose to apologise to supporters after the game.

“Wembley Bound. To all the Chelsea fans, apologies for the penalty miss. I’ll be back 10x times stronger to help the team win and continue to keep fighting for the badge every single day. Let’s go Blues,” he wrote on social media.

Pochettino sends supportive message to Sterling

Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino gave words of support to his forward after the game. “I think he was great, today is a great opportunity to support, to support him. He has an unbelievable CV, like a player he has played in big teams, experienced player, of course, today missed the penalty and some chances.”