“Forget about all the noise, actions say a lot” - Ex-Chelsea striker accuses Mikel Arteta of disrespecting Arsenal star

Former Premier League striker Carlton Cole suggested Mikel Arteta's treatment of Arsenal star Raheem Sterling was disrespectful. The ex-Chelsea forward pointed to a substitution made by the Spaniard in the Gunners' 1-1 draw against Manchester United.

With the score at 1-1. the side desperately needed a goal to keep their faint title hopes alive. However, Arteta opted to keep Sterling on the bench and instead sent on left-back Kieran Tierney to play in an advanced role.

Speaking on the Dressing Room podcast, Cole said:

'That’s disrespectful.

‘Raheem is a proper player, we know that. I actually think he did alright at Chelsea, I don’t think he done bad. He didn’t suit the club, he’s getting on and they want to get youngsters in.

‘But he’s gone to Arsenal and I was thinking he was going to do well. Forget about all the noise, actions say a lot.

‘They needed a goal and he brought on Kieran Tierney instead of a seasoned pro, a goalscorer that might get back on track. He could make something happen. For me, I would say that’s disrespectful.’

Tierney and the other Arsenal attackers were eventually unable to make a difference as the game ended 1-1. The result saw the gap between the side and Liverpool extend to 15 points in the table. With just 10 games to go, it seems highly unlikely for the North Londoners to leapfrog the Reds.

Sterling, meanwhile, has struggled to impress in his loan move from cross-town rivals Chelsea. He has collected just one goal and two assists in his stint with the Gunners. The winger had two inconsistent seasons with the Blues following his move from Manchester City and was eventually deemed unfit for the squad under new manager Enzo Maresca.

Mikel Arteta opens up on Arsenal drawing Real Madrid for UCL QFs

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta insisted that the side needed to be fully focused and be at their best against Real Madrid. The two clubs are set to meet in the last eight of the Champions League, with Arteta saying (via press conference).

“The first thing is that you have to be at your best when it comes to that for the two games, for every minute,” he said. “Don't give anything away, because they're going to take it. And today, we've seen that with the two goals that we've conceded as well, so that's a big learning.

“In the end, the game is going to be decided in the boxes, individual talent, individual performances is crucial, and then creating an unbelievable atmosphere when we have the opportunity to play at home, that is crucial.”

Real Madrid have endured a rather difficult draw, knocking off Manchester City in the first playoff round before narrowly squeezing past Atletico Madrid on penalties in the Round of 16.

Arsenal, meanwhile, finished in the top eight and thus progressed directly to the Round of 16. They faced PSV Eindhoven, comfortably defeating them with a score of 9-3 across two legs.