Gareth Southgate has been told that starting Raheem Sterling at the World Cup for England is a “no brainer” after the forward ended his barren run of form for Chelsea on Wednesday.
The Blues winger has come under fire of late after failing to score in the Premier League since August, while his previous Champions League goal came back in September, with the 27-year-old struggling to replicate his deadly form at Manchester City since moving to west London this summer.
So poor has his been his early season form, BBC pundit Pat Nevin claimed his place on the plane to Qatar should be in major doubt, saying: "Raheem Sterling. If he keeps playing the way he is right now, he’s not even a consideration for the World Cup."