Arsenal cannot give up on Raheem Sterling just yet

  • Raheem Sterling struggled during 2-0 win at Leicester
  • Winger has made just four league starts during loan spell
  • Must still be counted upon during injury crisis in attack
Raheem Sterling still has a big role to play for the Gunners
Raheem Sterling still has a big role to play for the Gunners | Michael Regan/GettyImages

It merely took Mikel Arteta "ten seconds" of convincing to bring Raheem Sterling to Arsenal last summer, with the Spaniard asserting that the winger would make the Gunners "better".

That statement certainly didn't seem outlandish. While Arsenal's summer business was ultimately underwhelming, Sterling, an all-time Premier League great entering the twilight of a career which started so young, was regarded as an upgrade on Reiss Nelson, who joined Fulham on loan.

Arteta's relationship with the Englishman traces back to his time as Pep Guardiola's assistant in Manchester, where Sterling enjoyed the peak of his pomp and contributed heavily to four Premier League title triumphs.

We knew that Arsenal weren't signing a Sterling at his apex, but an iteration seemingly determined to resurge after an underwhelming spell at Chelsea. 'The best is yet to come,' the club wrote in a bid to build excitement after his signing was made official.

However, Sterling is yet to prove the points Arteta projected. The 30-year-old winger is yet to fully garner the trust of his demanding boss, and Saturday's display at Leicester was a nadir in the former England international's loan spell.


Arsenal cannot give up on Raheem Sterling just yet

Mikel Arteta, Raheem Sterling
Mikel Arteta has struggled to trust Sterling this term | Ryan Pierse/GettyImages

Arsenal's injury crisis in attack forced Sterling into just his fourth Premier League start since joining the club. The versatile wide man offered glimpses of his very best form in the Gunners' FA Cup defeat to Manchester United last month and provided forgettable goal contributions in the early rounds of the Carabao Cup, but there's been little else to suggest Sterling's addition has been worthwhile.

One of his Premier League starts barely lasted 30 minutes after William Saliba's red card at Bournemouth, and many supporters would suggest he got through 30 minutes too many at the weekend. Sterling was withdrawn midway through the second half at the King Power having produced an utterly futile performance down Arsenal's left.

Completely upstaged by 17-year-old sensation Ethan Nwaneri on the opposite flank, Sterling's dour outing ended without a single successful take-on, one shot-creating action, and a 73.1% pass completion. After Arteta changed tack by utilising Mikel Merino up top and shifting Leandro Trossard out to the left, Arsenal scored twice.

Now, we're all getting caught up in Marouane Merino fever, and the Spaniard's instincts in the box do render him a handy Plan B amid the club's current frontline issues, but Arteta isn't going to count upon his compatriot relentlessly as an attacking option. With the Gunners' reduced to three attacking options for the next few weeks (plus Merino), Arteta still needs to count upon Sterling. He can't be thrust to the wayside.

The experienced winger was poor on Saturday, and bright moments have come few and far between in Arsenal colours, but Sterling has made a habit of overcoming adversity throughout his career and he's a player, given his pedigree, you'd be foolish to right off while there's still life in the 2024/25 campaign.


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