Mauricio Pochettino is backing Raheem Sterling to keep proving Gareth Southgate wrong after being left out of England’s latest squad.
Sterling was omitted from the England manager’s latest squad to face Australia and Italy later this month but scored and played a key part in Chelsea’s 4-1 hammering of Burnley at Turf Moor.
And his club boss says the winger is playing with a point to prove.
“I think he deserves and he is a player that knows he needs to perform and show the manager of the national team that he was wrong in his decision,” Pochettino said.
“Only with performance and scoring goals is he going to show that he deserves to go, nothing in between.
“When you are not involved with the squad like he was out, it’s about to show that you deserve. With performance, it is the only way to show that.”
The Blues found themselves behind at Burnley but responded in fine fashion, levelling through an Ameen Al Dakhil own goal before goals from Cole Palmer, Sterling and Nicolas Jackson ensured their side secured back-to-back victories.
Pochettino has endured a difficult start to life as Chelsea boss but says he could see his team’s upturn in form coming even when the results were not there.
“I was telling you when we lost some games against Nottingham Forest and West Ham that we are building something,” he explained.
“We are a young group. We are a young team, it doesn’t mean we have signed young players or experienced players, we’re together and what happened in the summer, it’s about a matter of time.
“We were performing very well but of course players and individuals improve to add to the team, a bit of quality. That is only with time to know each other and to start to perform.”
