Gary Neville questioned Mikel Arteta's decision not to bring on Raheem Sterling during Arsenal's draw with Manchester United.
The Gunners were forced to settle for a point in a 1-1 stalemate at Old Trafford in the Premier League on Sunday afternoon. A second-half Declan Rice strike ensured Arsenal avoided defeat in Manchester after a Bruno Fernandes free-kick opened the scoring.
Arsenal went into the game with Kai Havertz, Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Jesus all on the sidelines with injury. Gabriel Martinelli was named on the bench after being sidelined for more than a month with a hamstring injury.
Sterling was also among the substitutes, with Arteta selecting a forward line of Ethan Nwaneri and Leandro Trossard, with Mikel Merino selected as a makeshift centre forward.
Arsenal conceded the free-kick goal from Fernandes just before half-time and were trailing until the 74th minute before Rice's equaliser. Arteta introduced Martinelli and Myles Lewis-Skelly into the game just before the hour mark before bringing left-back Kieran Tierney minutes after Rice's goal, with Sterling left on the bench for the full game.
Neville has questioned Arteta's decision not to bring Sterling into the game when chasing a goal and injuries that have.
"It does tell you where Mikel Arteta is at, though, with Raheem Sterling that he is not willing to put him on with 20 minutes to go when they are desperate for a goal [and] they are toothless in attack," said Neville during his time on commentary for Sky Sports.
"I suspect there's not great thoughts going through his (Arteta’s) head."
Later in the game, after Arteta made the substitutions, Neville went on to say: "It makes it even worse for Sterling".
The draw leaves Arsenal in second place in the Premier League table and 15 points behind leaders Liverpool, with a game in hand. Chelsea are the Gunners' next opponents in the top flight at the weekend, after Arteta and Co. face PSV Eindhoven in the second leg of their Champions League last-16 tie on Wednesday night.
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