Sterling display shows Tuchel why Raheem is dream ticket

THOMAS TUCHEL was not surprised Raheem Sterling was obtainable from rivals Manchester City in the summer, having entered the final year of his contract. Once the dust settled following an eventful afternoon at Stamford Bridge, he may have also not been surprised by the way match-winner Sterling influenced proceedings against Leicester. In discussions ahead of Sterling’s £50m move, Tuchel is said to have reflected on how different Chelsea’s silverware haul may have been during his 18-month reign if they had more chancetakers, such as the 27-year-old, to call upon. Chelsea have won three trophies under the German but could have at least doubled that tally having lost two domestic finals on penalties to Liverpool last season and also an FA Cup showpiece narrowly against Leicester in 2021. What Sterling (right) produced to earn Chelsea a dogged victory on Saturday was a display of why he was ‘the No 1 priority’ for Tuchel. Firstly the goals. In a game of few clear opportunities and shots on target for Chelsea, he managed to carve out two of them and might have had three were it not for an impressive save from Danny Ward to flick another effort onto the post with his toe. The first came via a deflection off Daniel Amartey’s foot but his account-opening strike for Chelsea’s second, a tap-in from Reece James’ delicious cross, showcased his clever movement to find space in and around the box as well as that ability to ultimately find the net that Tuchel so wanted. After being reduced to 10 men following Conor Gallagher’s 28th-minute red card, Sterling emerged as the decisive factor in this win. His relief at breaking his competitive duck for the Blues was evident in the passionate celebration that followed his first goal. ‘He scored twice and this was super-important not only for us but also for him individually,’ said Tuchel. Having lost Romelu Lukaku and Timo Werner — and while they hope to add a traditional striker before Thursday’s transfer deadline — Sterling ensures Chelsea not only possess a player they can look to for goals but one who also relishes that responsibility. After Sterling’s double, Harvey Barnes pulled a goal back for Leicester and they racked up the chances but could not take one that would have given them at least a deserved draw. They remain winless and defender Timothy Castagne said: ‘It’s going to come. We just can’t panic. We need to keep working, keep playing our game.’