Why Raheem Sterling is missing from Arsenal’s clash with Crystal Palace as Mikel Arteta confirms reason

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Arsenal star Raheem Sterling is a surprise omission from the squad as the side was announced ahead of the Premier League clash against Crystal Palace.

It comes after the winger had started against the Eagles in midweek, with a bright display on the right flank.

Raheem Sterling’s impact from the start in the EFL Cup was positive, following a difficult start to his career with Arsenal so far.

There is some hope that the Chelsea loanee can kick on from that performance, though when it came to Arsenal team news from Selhurst Park, he was a surprising miss on the team sheet.

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Raheem Sterling handed fresh injury concern before Arsenal clash with Crystal Palace

Mikel Arteta named a strong bench for Arsenal’s clash with Crystal Palace, though Sterling was a big name missing out.

While there were some thoughts that it could be down to selection, the manager revealed why before the match.

According to journalist Simon Collings, the manager told the international media that Sterling was out through injury.

The winger was struggling in training on Friday, which caused him to pull out early, forcing him out of action.

There are set to be more tests and scans on the injury, to confirm the exact injury and the issue he is suffering with.

Given the run of matches ahead, there will be plenty of hopes that Sterling won’t be out for long and can return to action.

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Which games could Raheem Sterling miss?

If Sterling is out for the foreseeable future, there are some big games he could miss in a quick turnaround.

With the festive football fixture list here, there are matches against Ipswich, Brentford, Brighton and Manchester United around the corner.

If it’s a slight tweak, then he may be available sooner, especially for a run that includes some lower opposition and then a cup match.

Rotation will be key to Arsenal, with so many games set to test the strength in depth for the side as a whole.

The Gunners can’t afford lots of injuries or many games without victories, with the Premier League title challenge still on the cards if they can string together some wins.