Sterling won´t watch Man Utd after Chelsea punish profligate City

Raheem Sterling does not plan to watch Manchester United’s game against Aston Villa after Manchester City failed to clinch the Premier League title on the pitch.

Defeat for United on Sunday would confirm City as champions for the third time in four seasons, but they could have completed the job themselves against Chelsea on Saturday.

Sterling scored the opener after 44 minutes and the leaders should have added to their advantage moments later when Sergio Aguero’s awful Panenka penalty was saved.

Chelsea improved after the break and hit back through Hakim Ziyech and Marcos Alonso to win 2-1 and turn the spotlight on Villa Park, although City still have three league matches remaining.

“I don’t think I’ll personally want to watch that game,” Sterling told Sky Sports.

“I’ll have some family time and look at the results and check up on the latest scoreline. To watch the game is a difficult one, so I’ll try to chill.”

Alonso scored the latest winner from a visiting team at the Etihad Stadium since Paul Scholes’ derby day header for United in April 2010.

It was the second consecutive home league game City have lost in the 90th minute or later following Stuart Dallas’ strike for Leeds United last month.

Their previous two such last-gasp defeats at the Etihad Stadium had come over the course of 235 matches.

“It’s a difficult one to take, especially when we had chances to finish the game off and we didn’t finish it off,” Sterling added. “We got punished, simple as that.”

90 – Manchester City have lost consecutive Premier League home games thanks to a goal scored in the 90th minute – as many as they had in their previous 235 Premier League games at the Etihad Stadium. Stunned. #MCICHE

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) May 8, 2021

City had 16 shots, worth a combined 1.8 expected goals, but only four hit the target.

“It was good to get on the scoresheet,” said the side’s stand-in captain, scoring for the first time for his club since February.

“I thought it was going to be the day we got over the line. We didn’t finish our chances, and against a team like Chelsea, with the players they have, they’ll punish you.”

Sterling was further frustrated by a second City penalty appeal that was unsuccessful shortly before Alonso’s scuffed strike.

The City number seven went down under pressure from Kurt Zouma.

“For me, I couldn’t get a shot off because he’s put his knee in the back of my hamstring,” Sterling said.

“I don’t know how it’s not a penalty, I don’t know how it’s not been reviewed properly. The ref said it’s been reviewed but, at the end of the day, personally I knew it was a penalty.

“I thought the VAR was here to help, but it wasn’t meant to be.

“He said to me it’s been checked and it’s been cleared and it’s not a penalty. For me, it was a sure penalty.”