Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino, the players and even Cole Palmer has defended Raheem Sterling, who took and missed a penalty against Leicester City in the FA Cup quarter-final clash on Sunday.

Sterling’s tame effort was saved by Leicester goalkeeper Jakub Stolarczyk, after he took the ball from regular taker Cole Palmer.

Alan Shearer was angry and baffled after Raheem Sterling deprived Cole Palmer of a penalty during Chelsea’s nervy FA Cup quarter-final win over Leicester City.

“What on earth was going on there? Seriously, even I was getting angry and I didn’t really care about the game,” Alan Shearer said on The Rest is Football podcast.

“Why on earth is he taking the ball off Cole Palmer? Palmer’s got five out of five [from the penalty spot], he’s the best player at Chelsea, he’s been brilliant all season, he looks confident.

“Why would you even contemplate taking it off him? And why would you even put yourself forward when you’ve got a record like that?”

Speaking on the podcast, ex-Manchester City defender Micah Richard suggested Sterling was trying to gain some much-needed confidence with a goal from the penalty, but Shearer responded: “Bulls***.

“It’s the quarter-final of the FA Cup man! Forget about all that s***, give the penalty to the penalty-taker.”