£50m star needs to leave Arsenal in January, Mikel Arteta is wasting his talent

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Without their threat from set pieces against Fulham, Arsenal only marginally out-performed the home side in terms of the xG they created from open play.

Arsenal are brilliant from dead-ball situations, Nicolas Jover’s excellent work deserved to be celebrated rather than looked down on across the Premier League.

However, Arsenal’s set-piece threat is supposed to be in addition to their creativity from open play, not acting solely as a substitute.

The Gunners firmly deserved their victory against Manchester United last week, William Saliba and Jurrien Timber were both on hand to poke home their opportunities.

However, once Thomas Partey missed the golden chance of the game putting his second half header wide, Arsenal had nothing to fall back on – Martin Odegaard didn’t influence the game.

Raheem Sterling has played zero minutes since his brilliant West Ham cameo

That being said, Mikel Arteta once again snubbed Raheem Sterling on the Arsenal bench.

Despite using four substitutions in the second half, four-time Premier League winner Sterling didn’t play a minute.

READ MORE: Arsenal were dominated by £2m Fulham star, Mikel Arteta should sign him immediately

It’s a baffling situation, especially considering how Arsenal were dominating with possession but yet struggling to create.

Sterling proved a point against West Ham United recently, he took his opportunity as a sub incredibly well.

And what has that cameo earned the £50m winger in return? No minutes in the next two games.

It’s a mystifying scenario, and only Arteta truly knows what is going on.

On his part, Sterling has been incredibly professional, he’s never looked in a bad mood on the bench nor has he spoken publicly about any of his frustrations, which he must harbour internally.

However, from the outside looking in, it’s hard not to conclude that Sterling should find a new challenge as soon as possible.

Why isn’t Mikel Arteta giving Raheem Sterling a chance?

In truth, it’s not public knowledge whether Sterling’s loan at Arsenal includes the option of a break-clause for January.

Arsenal would surely be very keen to keep Sterling – Arteta has often embedded his new signings very slowly in the past for them to then flourish at a later point.

However at 30-years-old and only being at the Emirates Stadium for a one-year loan, how long can Sterling wait?

He’s looked dangerous in all of the chances he’s been handed, perhaps only underwhelming in his minutes against Bournemouth prior to being hooked because of Saliba’s controversial red card.

And with neither Gabriel Martinelli or Leandro Trossard showing any kind of consistency right now, what does Sterling have to do?

Perhaps the answer is as simple as finding an Arsenal exit, a player who deserves better based on what we’ve seen, a talent Arteta is letting go to waste.