Mikel Arteta sends Raheem Sterling a message amid Arsenal’s injury crisis in attack – as Gunners boss reveals boost with star set to return after long lay-off

Mikel Arteta has urged Raheem Sterling to step up, saying ‘we really need him’ to help bolster Arsenal’s injury-depleted frontline.

The 30-year-old has started just four Premier League games so far this season having underwhelmed since signing on loan from Chelsea on summer transfer deadline day.

It comes as the Gunners battle with injuries to Bukayo Saka, Takehiro Tomiyasu, Gabriel Martinelli, Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus.

Saka and Martinelli are targeted to be back next month, though Tomiyasu, Havertz and Jesus are out until next season.

An Arsenal victory against West Ham on Saturday would cut the gap between the north London club and Liverpool to just five points ahead of the Reds’s crunch clash against Manchester City on Sunday.

Arteta said: ‘Yeah (Sterling can have a big impact), and he has to have it because we really need him.

Sterling has started just four Premier League games this campaign on loan from Chelsea

Arteta suggested that Sterling will need the right ‘mindset’ to come into the team for the run-in

‘Hopefully he’s not (low on confidence) because we try to give him as much as possible, but that’s a question for him.

‘But we are all behind him, we want the best for him. It’s going to be really important and we need his best. We need the players only with that mindset, to be here to impact the team.’

Meanwhile, Ben White is in contention to play in a major boost for the Arsenal.

The 27-year-old has been out of action since mid-November after undergoing knee surgery, returning to the Gunners’s bench for their 2-0 victory over Leicester last weekend.

The full back is now ready to take the next step and return to action.

‘He’s (White) ready to play,’ said Arteta.

‘Whether to start or not is a decision we’ll make tomorrow, but he’s certainly available now to be part of the group.’

PSV Eindhoven were yesterday drawn as Arsenal’s Champions League last 16 opponents, with the first leg on March 4 at the Philips Stadion.

Ben White is finally ready to play, says Arteta, after being out injured since mid-November 

The two sides faced each other last season in a dead rubber group match in the competition, which ended 1-1.

On facing PSV, Arteta added: ‘Well, we played against them (last season). They are a really good team. We know that.

‘We know what we are facing. When you are at this stage, every team is really, really good. When the time comes, we’ll be ready for it.’