Chelsea star Enzo Fernandez was spotted intervening in an argument between team-mates Cole Palmer and Raheem Sterling as both players wanted to take their first-half penalty against Arsenal on Saturday. The England man’s cross was handled by William Saliba, but both Sterling and Palmer put their hands up to take the spot-kick.
After Palmer had slotted calmly past David Raya to give the Blues a 1-0 lead, video emerged of the £45million summer signing quarrelling with Sterling over who would get the chance to score from 12 yards – before Fernandez rushed over and made the decision to hand the ball to Palmer.
The penalty itself had been contentious as Sterling’s cross was intended for Mykhaylo Mudryk and the Ukrainian got a slight touch before the ball hit Saliba’s arm, after a VAR check the referee pointed to the spot and Chelsea had a chance to take a lead against their London rivals.
Palmer had scored a penalty in the Blues’ last game before the international break – a 4-1 win away to Burnley – but Sterling may have felt that as the senior player he wanted to take the pressure penalty.
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