Mikel Arteta explains why he snubbed Raheem Sterling at Man Utd
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Mikel Arteta has admitted he didn’t think Raheem Sterling was the right player to come on and change the game during Arsenal’s 1-1 draw with Manchester United on Sunday.
The Gunners’ faint Premier League title hopes were all but extinguished at Old Trafford as more dropped points handed Liverpool a 15-point lead at the top of the table. Bruno Fernandes’ first half free-kick gave United a slender lead at the interval and, although Declan Rice drew Arsenal level in the second half, they weren’t able to go on and win the game despite applying pressure.
Arteta was still missing a number of key players for the trip to Manchester, though he was able to call upon Gabriel Martinelli with just over half an hour remaining following a five-week spell out injured.
The Spaniard made just three of his five permitted substitutions and surprisingly turned to full-back Kieran Tierney, who is leaving the club in the summer to re-join Celtic on a free transfer, as Arsenal searched for a goal.
Speaking to the media ahead of Arsenal’s Champions League round of 16 second leg clash with PSV Eindhoven, Arteta revealed he made the decision on the day not to use Sterling, referencing how the game was playing out as his reason for overlooking him.
“It’s the same with the rest of the players. At the end, we make decisions on the day which player we believe fits better in the manner that the game is developing,” he said, “He’s come on in many of the games and didn’t the other day, and that’s it.”
Asked whether Sterling could start against PSV, with Arsenal 7-1 up after a stonking first leg win, he said: “I will decide that tomorrow with him and with the rest of them.”
Sterling moved to Arsenal on loan from London rivals Chelsea last summer, looking to revive his career after being frozen out at Stamford Bridge.
But the 30-year-old, who won the last of his 82 England caps at the 2022 World Cup, has played just 863 minutes of football across all competitions, starting just eight matches.
In that time, Sterling has contributed just a solitary goal and two assists – the former coming in the Carabao Cup third round against League One’s Bolton Wanderers.
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