Celebrate if you score, Pochettino tells ex-City duo
CHELSEA manager Mauricio Pochettino wants Cole Palmer and Raheem Sterling to rub their talent in Manchester City faces by celebrating if they score against their old club today. Pochettino described Palmer as ‘clever’ and ‘naughty’ yesterday, adding that his £40million summer signing reminds him of Angel Di Maria in his pomp. He and Sterling scored in November’s exhilarating 4-4 draw with City, though their celebrations were muted at Stamford Bridge. ‘If they celebrate, it’s football,’ Pochettino said. ‘If they don’t celebrate and want to show respect, OK, but when you score a goal you need to celebrate. ‘You kill your former club and after you say sorry. When you play for different clubs, you cannot stop your feelings. When you score, it’s the most beautiful feeling and you cannot go, “Argh, no, I don’t want to celebrate”. You need to. You are now playing for another team. ‘You showed respect when there but now you defend another shirt, you need to celebrate as part of another history.’ Palmer has been in scintillating form this season, though Sterling has disappointed, even drawing jeers from some fans when substituted in Chelsea’s 4-2 defeat by Wolves. ‘He is always positive, always helping, and that’s very important,’ Pochettino said of Sterling. ‘It’s important to have a player like that in the project. ‘It should be special to score at the Etihad but always it’s special. I don’t believe he needs to prove anything. Like Cole, they are both grateful for the period they were there and talk