Arsenal legend Ian Wright has urged Raheem Sterling to seize the opportunity presented by the club’s current injury crisis, or risk letting his career fizzle out.
Sterling has struggled for consistent game time since joining Arsenal on loan from Chelsea at the end of the summer transfer window, having fallen out of favor at Stamford Bridge. The 30-year-old, a four-time Premier League champion, enjoyed a productive spell at Manchester City, scoring 79 goals over three seasons, before being sold in 2022.
With Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus both out for the rest of the season, Arsenal are without a striker. Even Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli, who could potentially play as a ‘false nine,’ are sidelined, which could give Sterling a chance to make his mark.
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Mikel Arteta opted for Leandro Trossard as a central striker against Leicester City last weekend, but Sterling did earn a rare start on the left. However, with Arsenal chasing a goal in the final stages of the match, Sterling was substituted, and midfielder Mikel Merino was brought on as a makeshift striker.
“This is the time for him to buckle down and say, ‘I have to make this work,'” Wright said on Stick to Football. “Otherwise, he’ll go out with a whimper. The last time I saw him make an impact in a short space of time was against Manchester United—that’s the kind of performance we need from him now.”
Fellow Stick to Football panellist Gary Neville has expressed doubts about whether Sterling can adapt to the central striker role, questioning if a player who built his career on pace and speed has the “football intelligence” to transition successfully.
All eyes will be on whether Arteta chooses to start Merino in the central role against West Ham on Saturday. Sterling remains a potential option to lead the line, but if Merino starts and Trossard moves to the left, it could leave Sterling out of the lineup altogether.
Pep Guardiola had previously considered Sterling a viable striker option after a promising spell in that role during a 2019 pre-season with Manchester City. However, as Arteta was part of Guardiola’s coaching staff at the time, it’s likely he has already considered the option and would have implemented it if he saw it as a viable solution.
