Raheem Sterling has sent a clear message after missing Arsenal’s 5-1 win against Crystal Palace due to injury. The Chelsea loanee played 70 minutes earlier this week against the Eagles in Carabao Cup action but was noticeably absent from the squad to face the same opponents in a Premier League clash on Saturday.
Speaking on Sky Sports ahead of the game, Arteta revealed that Sterling had felt something in the final training session before the game. And just 24 minutes into the match at Selhurst Park, the Gunners lost another attacker to injury with Bukayo Saka pulling up holding his hamstring.
Despite that, Arsenal still got the job done with Gabriel Jesus (2), Kai Havertz, Gabriel Martinelli and Declan Rice all on target in a dominant away victory. Those two fresh injuries will be a concern for Arteta though, with the Arsenal boss providing an update on both after the game.
“We lost Raheem yesterday [Friday] and we don’t know for how long,” he said in a press conference. “To lose two players in 24 hours is not good. With this schedule it doesn’t surprise me. The team will react to that.”
On Saka, he added: “He felt something in his hamstring. He will have to be assessed. Pretty worried about that. It’s difficult to guess now. They have tested him but difficult to say how bad it is.” Arsenal will be hoping neither player misses too much action with the busy schedule that awaits.
After Christmas, Ipswich are the visitors to Emirates Stadium with Arsenal back on their travels in early 2025 for Premier League games away at Brentford and Brighton. Arteta also has two very important cup games to think about in January.
