One Chelsea player has now come out in defence of Raheem Sterling after the recent treatment of him by Chelsea fans.
They told Mail Plus that it is the responsibility of all of the players to try and change the opinion of supporters right now.
Sterling’s last outing in a Chelsea shirt is one that he is likely eager to forget.
Sterling had nightmare last time out
A missed penalty taken out of the hands of Cole Palmer put him on a lot of people’s bad side, before he missed a sitter and took one of the worst free-kicks ever seen.
He was eventually replaced by Noni Madueke, who made the most of his few minutes on the pitch by scoring a great goal to kill the FA Cup tie.
However, it is the England U21 star who has recently leaped to the defence of his teammate, hinting that supporters need to have belief in Sterling.
Madueke defends Sterling
He said: “It’s so important [to support Sterling]. I’m nobody to tell you not to have an opinion but I also have mine.
“That’s one of my teammates… the criticism is harsh and unfair. It’s our duty to voice our opinion and try to change the narrative…”
Madueke is not the first player to jump to the defence of the 29-year-old since that match at Stamford Bridge. Carney Chukwuemeka has also made a point of defending his teammate in the media.
Supporters will still likely be hoping for the England international to be left on the bench when they return to Premier League action at the weekend against Burnley.
This could actually benefit Madueke, who may well be believing that his form for his country should actually see him in with a shout of starting anyway. Those opportunities have been limited since his £29m move just over a year ago.
Another player who will be feeling the same way is Mykhailo Mudryk, whose goal for Ukraine helped them book their place at Euro 2024 in dramatic circumstances.
