Paul Merson believes Mikel Arteta will persist with Raheem Sterling in Arsenal’s starting lineup for their pivotal clash against West Ham, despite the forward’s underwhelming display against Leicester.
With Kai Havertz ruled out for the season, Arteta was forced to reshape his attack at the King Power Stadium.
While some speculated that Mikel Merino might step in as a false nine, Arteta instead opted for Leandro Trossard, Ethan Nwaneri, and Sterling. However, the trio struggled to break down a determined Leicester side.
Sterling, in particular, failed to make an impact and was substituted in the second half. His replacement, Merino, proved to be the game-changer, heading home a Nwaneri cross before sealing the win with a clinical finish in stoppage time.
Merino’s late heroics have fueled calls for him to start against West Ham, but Merson believes Arteta will stick to his guns and maintain the same attacking setup at the Emirates.
“Arsenal have the advantage of playing before Liverpool this week,” Merson wrote in his Sportskeeda column. “If they beat West Ham, they’ll close the gap at the top to five points. If Liverpool then lose to City, the title race is back on! But this won’t be an easy game for Arsenal.
“I thought Arsenal were struggling against Leicester until Merino’s two late goals turned it around. West Ham looked solid against Chelsea, even though they lost.”
Merson expressed sympathy for Sterling’s struggles at Arsenal but expects Arteta to keep faith in the winger.
“For some reason, Sterling just can’t seem to find his rhythm at Arsenal,” Merson added. “Despite Merino’s goal, I think he’ll stay on the bench for this one. Arteta will likely stick with the same front three. If things don’t go to plan, Merino can always come on and make an impact again.”
Although wary of West Ham’s counter-attacking strength, Merson predicts Arsenal will secure a narrow 1-0 victory.
“West Ham will look to frustrate Arsenal and hit them on the break. They perform better in games where they can sit back and counter,” he explained.
“Arsenal have a tough schedule ahead, so this is a must-win match. They need to focus on one game at a time rather than thinking too far ahead. The title isn’t in their hands yet.”
Arteta, meanwhile, defended Sterling’s performance against Leicester, emphasizing that the team as a whole needed to improve.
When asked whether Sterling needed more minutes to regain confidence, Arteta replied, “Yes… but it’s also about the whole team stepping up. In the first 20-25 minutes, we weren’t at our best, which made things difficult for our attackers.”