'He is ready' - Mikel Arteta drops big team news hint ahead of Arsenal vs Bolton

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has all-but confirmed that one player will start for the Gunners against Bolton Wanderers on Wednesday night. The Gunners welcome the League One side on the back of a 2-2 draw with Manchester City in a bruising clash at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday night.

And with the Premier League title the obvious priority this season, there is plenty of speculation over what kind of team Arteta will put out against Bolton on Wednesday. Some of the more senior players are likely to be rested, with Arsenal obvious favourites, but there is a balance to be struck to avoid an upset and to ensure Bolton are respected as opponents.

There are also players with a point to proof, and that is especially the case at Arsenal with Arteta largely having a settled starting XI at this point. New loan signing Raheem Sterling is one of those players having only made one appearance since arriving, currently stuck behind Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli.

But Sterling looks set for a start on Wednesday night, with Arteta responding when asked about the winger’s impact: “Very good. He has had a few minutes already and tomorrow he has another opportunity. He is ready, he is really hungry to add more minutes and impact the team in the way that he can, and hopefully tomorrow we can see that.”

The clash could also provide more opportunities for Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly, two young players who have featured already in the Premier League this season. “I’m very proud of them,” added the Arsenal boss. “They are dealing with a situation that probably they didn’t expect. They have had the chance to play in two of the most historic and difficult grounds in the Premier League and they both responded really well.”

Sterling on Arsenal move

Speaking upon his arrival at Arsenal on deadline day, Sterling said: “I’m buzzing. It’s one where we left it late but it’s one I was hoping for. Looking at everything, I’m just like: ‘this is a perfect fit for me’, and I’m super happy that we got it over the line.“It’s a perfect fit for myself to be at a football club like this, where you can see that hunger, that desire, year on year, they are pushing and pushing and pushing. That’s exactly how I am as a person.

“Each year you want to get better and do better than the previous year. Hopefully I can gel really well with the boys and get going. It’s time now to meet the boys, get settled in and hopefully now see some game time and make my mark.”