"I would start him" - Tim Sherwood urges Arsenal to name 29-year-old star who can strike fear into Guardiola in line-up to face Manchester City
Pundit Tim Sherwood has urged Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta to name Raheem Sterling in his starting lineup against Manchester City. The Gunners will be up against the reigning Premier League champions at the Etihad on Sunday, September 22.
Pep Guardiola will welcome three former players at the Etihad in the form of Oleksandr Zinchenko, Gabriel Jesus and Raheem Sterling. While Zinchenko and Jesus have been at Arsenal for a while now, Sterling has only joined the Gunners this summer on loan from Chelsea.
Former Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa manager Sherwood has urged Arteta to name Sterling in his starting XI to take on Manchester City. He insisted that a former player coming back to haunt his previous club is always a story to be excited about. The 55-year-old said on Premier League Productions, as quoted by TBR Football:
“It would worry me if I was Pep Guardiola as soon as I am looking at the teamsheet when it comes in. I do not want to see Raheem Sterling on there because that is the Cinderella story, him coming back to haunt them for a new club."
“If he scores the winner against Man City, I said it last week when I saw him just before the game, I was saying if you scored in this North London derby, you haven’t got to do anything else. You are done."
Sherwood highlighted that Gabriel Martinelli has not been at his best. The Brazilian hasn't scored or assisted yet this season. With Martin Odegaard also out injured, Sherwood believes that Sterling could hurt Manchester City. He added:
“I would (start Sterling). Martinelli is not just firing. Saka, I would always have him in the team on that right-hand side because he can come in. He can win the game for Arsenal because he’s so good, but they are all suffering at the moment."
“The offensive players are suffering because Odegaard’s creativity in there. Havertz maybe come off a little bit deeper, you know, find the ball."
Sherwood claimed that Sterling could trouble Manchester City with his pace as the Cityzens could be caught off-guard in the full-back position. He concluded:
“I think Raheem’s clever. He knows when to move off the line from out to in runs. It can be a real threat in behind because we know when Man City, when they attack, they attack with numbers."
“They vacate the full-back areas, and I think Raheem can really explore him down the left-hand side. I would start him.”
Raheem Sterling spent seven seasons on the books of Manchester City between 2015 and 2022 having joined the club from Liverpool. He made 339 appearances for the Sky Blues contributing with 131 goals and 73 assists, winning 11 trophies during his time at the club.
He joined Chelsea in 2022 where he made 81 appearances scoring 19 goals and providing 12 assists. However, he went out of favor as soon as Enzo Maresca took charge this summer and was shipped out on loan to Arsenal.
Mikel Arteta names the area where Arsenal must improve to beat Manchester City
Mikel Arteta has highlighted the key area where Arsenal must improve to secure a victory against Manchester City. The Gunners boss insisted that his side must make the most of the flow of the game if they are to take all three points at the Etihad.
Speaking to the media ahead of his side's trip to Manchester City, the Arsenal manager said:
"Yes, we want to improve in certain areas, but in order to do that it's important that we have to be much, much better. We never got distances or the right relationships, or put the ball in areas where they really suffer. We need to be a lot more consistent if we want the team to flow. For sure we will prepare to try and win."
Arteta added:
"That's been the message already. In order to do that there are going to be things that we have to do much better than against Atalanta. There are some things that we have done exceptionally well and we are going to have to do them again. Because we all know we need a big performance to beat them."
Arsenal are currently fifth in the table with 10 points in four games having won three and drawn one. Manchester City, on the other hand, are the only team to maintain a 100 percent record and will return to the top of the table even if they draw the game.