Jamie Carragher has told Raheem Sterling to ‘just play better’ following the Chelsea star’s statement about being dropped against old club Manchester City.
Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca seems to have signalled the end of Sterling’s Blues career, dropping him all together from his squad to take on the champions at Stamford Bridge on Sunday afternoon. Chelsea fell 2-0 to City, but showed some positive signs during the clash.
However, prior to the game, Sterling’s representatives issued a statement claiming the England international was seeking clarity over his future – which has since been mocked by Liverpool legend Carragher, reports the Mirror.
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Taking to social media, Carragher, who reiterated he was a fan of Sterling, lambasted the decision to release a statement. The Sky Sports pundit wrote on X: “Massive fan of Raheem as a player and a lad. Not a fan of the Chelsea set up with owners etc… But this statement is ridiculous!
“As a camp! We look forward to gaining clarity! ! No need for a statement, especially an hour before kick off! ! Just play better.”
What did you make of the decision by Sterling’s representatives to issue a statement ahead of Chelsea’s clash against City? Let us know in the comments section below
(Image: Chelsea FC via Getty Images)
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The statement from Sterling’s camp prior to the clash against Chelsea read: “Raheem Sterling is contracted to Chelsea Football Club for the next three years. He returned to England two weeks early to conduct individual training, and has had a positive pre-season under the new coach, who he has developed a good working relationship with.
“He is committed, as ever, to delivering at the highest level for Chelsea FC and the fans, who he holds in high regard, and given his inclusion in official club pre-match material this week, our expectation was that Raheem would be involved in this weekend’s fixture in some capacity.”
(Image: James Gill – Danehouse/Getty Images)
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“As a camp, we have always had positive dialogue with, and assurance from, Chelsea FC in relation to Raheem’s future at the club, so we look forward to gaining clarity on the situation. Until then, we will continue to support Raheem’s desire to start the new season positively.”
However, following Sterling’s statement, Maresca played down the tensions between the two sides. The Chelsea boss told Sky Sports: “It happens many times. The manager has to make some decisions. Sometimes players don’t like it, that’s normal. Just a technical decision, no more than that. We’ll see in the next days,”.
“In this moment I think no one of them [players] is 100% fit. The same for all the teams. Nicolas [Jackson] is better, Cole [Palmer] is better. Pedro [Neto] arrives a few days ago. He needs a bit more. Hopefully we can give him a few minutes.”