Has Sterling got worse?

As Pat Nevin eloquently wrote on this page earlier, Raheem Sterling has no credit at Arsenal and is stuck in a "Catch-22 situation" where he is damned if he does and damned if he does not.

The frustration from the stands echoes what he experienced on international duty - once a key member of the England first XI and now cast off as a relic of a bygone era.

Still only 30, Sterling's career as an elite player appears to be in the past.

At the height of his career with Manchester City, Sterling scored goals at will.

Season tallies of 23, 25 and 31 between 2017 and 2020 poured cold water on previous criticism of wasteful finishing and he played a key role in City's constant trophy success.

However, as he moved south to London in the summer of 2022, so did his goal figures.

Nineteen in 81 appearances for Chelsea – albeit in chaotic and confused circumstances - was not what was expected. Since being ejected on loan to Arsenal on deadline day, he has one goal, against Bolton Wanderers in a 5-1 Carabao Cup victory.

Long a player whose every mistake is under the microscope, Sterling has lost possession with 26% of his touches this season. However, that is in line with his career average in the Premier League (27%).

Similarly, his passing accuracy is almost the same as his Premier League average (83.5% compared to 82.7%), suggesting he is not giving the ball away any more regularly than previously. It is probably reasonable to expect this from a player who is likely to take risks with the ball at his feet.

His dribble success rate for Arsenal is far higher than at any stage of his career (72% against an average of 47%). That is not even because he is trying fewer per game either – his average of four and a half dribbles every match is again on par.

It should be stated that all his Arsenal data comes from a very small sample size. But then that is the point too.

He has not exactly been flush with opportunities at Emirates Stadium, playing a mere 215 minutes in the Premier League and starting only three times.

In that time, he has had only 146 touches of the football and taken seven shots. As someone who, over a sustained period of time, has scored with about 17% of his shots in the Premier League, it is fair to say he is due a goal round about now.

That is backed up by his expected goals figure of 0.87, which, from his position in Bukayo Saka territory out on the right, he ought to get the chance to score.

A player with 82 international caps, four Premier League titles, an FA Cup and five League Cups has the pedigree to perform - and at the very least his numbers at Arsenal are better than what he provided at Chelsea.

Is there scope for him to turn his career trajectory around and play an important part for Mikel Arteta's side between now and the end of the season?

Success in one, two or even three competitions could depend on it.