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Ian Wright labelled Raheem Sterling’s display in Arsenal’s 2-0 victory over Leicester City on Saturday ‘unacceptable’.
Legendary Arsenal striker Ian Wright, was openly critical of Raheem Sterling’s performance in Arsenal’s recent 2-0 victory over Leicester City. Despite the victory, Wright was visibly frustrated with Sterling’s display, describing it as “unacceptable” during his half-time analysis on Premier League Productions.
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The match, which saw Arsenal secure all three points thanks to two second-half goals from makeshift striker Mikel Merino. Arsenal struggled to break down Leicester’s defense in the first half, with Leandro Trossard missing a close-range opportunity. However, it was Sterling’s performance that irritated Wright.
Sterling was caught offside on two occasions, despite having a clear view of Leicester’s defensive line. Wright emphasized that such mistakes are inexcusable for an experienced player of Sterling’s caliber. “It’s not lacking awareness, we’re talking about an experienced player here, a top player, a Premier League-winning player, multiple times,” Wright said.
The former Arsenal striker was particularly critical of Sterling’s positioning, stating, “You pull your hair out as a manager” when seeing such basic errors. Sterling was eventually substituted in the 69th minute, replaced by Merino, who went on to score both goals for Arsenal.
Michael Owen, a former player and now pundit, agreed with Wright, describing Sterling’s offsides as “reckless and poor.” Owen added, “It’s just basics, if a six, seven, eight-year-old child did that I’d be screaming at them, you just can’t do that, it’s one of the first things you learn.”
Despite the criticism, Arsenal managed to secure the win, moving them four points behind Premier League leaders Liverpool. Wright praised the performance of Ethan Nwaneri, who he felt had been exceptional in the front three, alongside Trossard
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