Raheem Sterling found himself on the bench during Arsenal’s 2-0 loss to Newcastle United in the Carabao Cup semi-final, continuing a season where his impact has been limited.

While Sterling’s absence from the pitch against Newcastle can be attributed to his recent return from injury, it’s part of a broader trend. Mikel Arteta has frequently chosen to leave the England international on the bench for tactical reasons this season, with Sterling being an unused substitute 11 times.

Since arriving on loan from Chelsea, Sterling has managed just 426 minutes of game time across four starts and seven substitute appearances, a stark contrast to the optimistic expectations set by Arsenal’s former sporting director, Edu Gaspar.

Edu had openly expressed excitement about Sterling’s potential contribution, admitting that his signing had not been part of Arsenal’s original plans but was seen as a valuable opportunity. However, Sterling’s limited impact on the pitch has left Edu’s glowing remarks in hindsight appearing overly ambitious.

Edu stated that Sterling wasn’t a target for the club originally, something that now seems apparent when considering his lack of chances.

Speaking in September, Edu spoke candidly: “Well, to be fair, we never planned, really, to sign him when we started the transfer window, yeah, just to be very transparent, for different reasons.

“But we always say to everyone, you have to be prepared for every scenario, so when that opportunity came to me, and I checked our squad, I checked how he plays, I spoke to Mikel of course, I spoke to Tim, our vice-chairman, to check if everyone is comfortable for the step that we’re going to make (signing Sterling on loan).

“Makes a lot of sense to have someone like him because I’m pretty sure that he’s going to add a lot in the squad, so he has experience – he understands more than anyone, the league.

“He plays Champions League many times, won the Premier League a few times as well, so I think he can add a lot to our squad.”

Mikel Arteta needs to trust Raheem Sterling after Bukayo Saka injury

Of course, Arsenal have now lost Bukayo Saka for a long period, who is beginning his recovery from hamstring surgery.

Ethan Nwaneri is also in the treatment room, meaning Sterling’s recent return should be a big boost.

Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard are both seriously out of form, two players lacking in confidence.

Now, Arteta will surely have to trust Sterling’s ability and experience to help Arsenal through this difficult period.

Otherwise, Arsenal need to sign a Saka replacement, and there’s one staring them in the face close by in London.