Raheem Sterling

I must confess I didn’t fancy the fleet-footed winger as he stepped up to take the penalty that would win the Carabao Cup last weekend. After all the five yard tap-in is his speciality goal. But he delivered for Manchester City and ensured posturing Chelsea ‘keeper Kepa Arrizabalaga thankfullyfinished on the losing side. Until that disrespectful, arrogant goalkeeper wandered into the spotlight, I was rather hoping Maurizio Sarri’s Chelsea would win the Carabao Cup Final if only to reduce the pressure on a manager who does not deserve the stick he’s received already this season.

Sarri still has two decent chances to win a Champions League spot for next season and why should Chelsea expect any more than that?

Player power clearly still rules at Stamford Bridge though and after Kepa Arrizabalaga’s antics at Wembley Sarri is now a diminished figure in the eyes of the entire country.

If Chelsea had a strong skipper with ethics, Arrizabalaga would have been frog-matched off the pitch as soon as his number came up.

VARDY COULD HAVE SAVED PUEL

Jamie Vardy has missed many scoring chances this season so to suggest not utilising his strengths is one reason Claude Puel (above) lost his job as Leicester City manager is daft. Maybe if Vardy had done his only job better a decent man might still be in work.

JURGEN SHOULD BE JEALOUS

I wonder if Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp and Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino watched Manchester City’s Carabao Cup celebrations and wished it was their side cavorting in front of 80,000 fans at Wembley. I doubt it, the pair are more obsessed with things they won’t win than things they can win. I saw nothing at Old Trafford last weekend to suggest I was wrong about the Reds’ decline this season.