December 21st 2024.
Raheem Sterling's move to Arsenal on loan from Chelsea has not gone as expected. He was not included in the squad for their Premier League game against Crystal Palace on Saturday at Selhurst Park. Despite the high hopes surrounding his transfer on deadline day, the England international has struggled to make a mark under the guidance of Mikel Arteta.
In a rare opportunity to start in Wednesday night's Carabao Cup match against Palace, Sterling was substituted in the second half. It was a disappointing performance for the 30-year-old, who would have at least expected a spot on the bench for today's game. However, Arteta revealed that Sterling had suffered an injury during training and had to be taken off the field.
"Unfortunately, Raheem felt something in training yesterday and had to come off," said Arteta before the game. "We need to do some more tests to determine the extent of his injury." Meanwhile, Declan Rice returned to the bench after missing the cup game against Palace due to an injury he sustained in their previous match against Everton.
Speaking about Rice's availability, Arteta stated, "Declan only had one training session, which is why he's on the bench. But it's good to have him back and ready to play if needed." Up front, Gabriel Jesus maintained his spot in the starting line-up after his impressive hat-trick in the midweek game, pushing Kai Havertz to a deeper midfield position.
"It was an easy decision to keep Gabriel in the starting line-up," said Arteta. "He performed well, scored goals, and brought an added dimension to the team. He definitely deserves to play again." More updates on the game to follow.
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