Mikel Arteta has defended Raheem Sterling and taken responsibility for his lack of minutes after the Arsenal loanee was labelled the ‘flop of the season’. Sterling completed a shock loan move to Arsenal on transfer deadline day after being frozen out by new Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca.

Had Pep Guardiola's team not been putting together the bleakest run of form of the Catalan coach's managerial career, the spotlight would certainly have been on Arteta.

Arsenal are building momentum again after their bad patch but must maintain their resurgent form, manager Mikel Arteta said after his side's 5-2 demolition of West Ham United on Saturday.