Sterling Silences Critics. His Game By Numbers

 By Danong

Arsenal thrashed PSV 7-1 at the Philips Stadion in Eindhoven last week in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League Round of 16 clash. After that emphatic victory, it seemed almost certain that Arsenal had booked their spot in the quarter-finals.

So, when the Dutch side visited the Emirates Stadium, Mikel Arteta had the luxury of experimenting with his line-up ahead of this weekend’s clash with Chelsea.

As anticipated, under-fire Raheem Sterling was handed a rare start, giving him the opportunity to sway Gooners’ opinions—and he delivered in style.

In flashes, Sterling looked every bit at home on the pitch. He was excellent, contributing two assists in the first half—arguably his best football of the season.

For the first assist, Sterling showed clever movement with a subtle body check and a sharp pass into space, allowing Oleksandr Zinchenko to open the scoring.

Not long after, his stunning wing play set up a brilliant cross, which Declan Rice met with an instinctive header to give Arsenal the second. 

He was unlucky not to get a goal himself, but even without one, his performance stood out. For a player who’s struggled for form, his stats were impressive.

- 5 duels won  
- 4 touches in the opposition box  
- 4 fouls won  
- 4 crosses  
- 3 chances created  
- 3 shots  
- 2 shots on target  
- 2 assists  

With that standout performance, Sterling was named man of the match.

He made history as the first English player to contribute directly to at least one goal for four different clubs in the Champions League.

Additionally, he climbed the rankings for English players with the most goals and assists in the competition’s history:

◎ 52 – David Beckham  
◎ 50 – Harry Kane  
◎ 47 – Wayne Rooney  
◉ 46 – Raheem Sterling  
◎ 44 – Frank Lampard  

Sterling has, during his career, 280 goal contributions scoring 174 goals and providing 106 assists. 

As Sterling himself says, “I still believe within myself that I’ve still got a lot to play here.”

His wealth of experience could prove invaluable as Arsenal navigate the latter stages of the Champions League. Could Sterling be the difference-maker in Arsenal’s pursuit of glory?

You never know...