‘We really need him’: Arteta wants big performance from £18m Arsenal star vs West Ham today | OneFootball

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta says the club needs Raheem Sterling to make a big impact during the back end of the campaign.

The England international was signed on loan from Chelsea on deadline day last summer but has failed to impress. He was non-existent as an attacking force against Leicester City last weekend.

Sterling was caught offside twice and failed to register a shot on target. He was dribbled past four times and lost possession 12 times in 69 minutes.

Mikel Merino replaced him off the bench. The Spaniard made an instant impact as a makeshift striker, scoring two goals in six minutes. Arteta has urged Sterling to step up.

He said (via BBC Sport): “He has to have it because we really need him.

“Raheem is so experienced, and like many other players, we know that what you did yesterday is not whether it was really good or not.

“That could be relevant to the next game – to the next action. He’s fully focused, he’s trained really well this week, and he is ready to go again.”

Arsenal are without main attackers Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli, Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus due to injuries. Havertz and Jesus are out for the campaign.

Saka and Martinelli could return after the international break. Until then, the pressure is on Leandro Trossard, Ethan Nwaneri and Sterling to fill the void.

Sterling’s dreadful showing at the King Power Stadium could see him drop to the bench today.

Stats from Transfermarkt.com & Sofascore.com.