Raheem Sterling makes brutally honest admission about Arsenal loan and what comes next
Raheem Sterling put it one of his best displays for Arsenal since joining on loan from Chelsea as he set up both of their goals in their 2-2 draw against PSV to help them reach the Champions League quarter-finals
Arsenal winger Raheem Sterling has admitted he has not played as often as he would have liked on loan at the Emirates - but vowed to keep "knocking at the door" after his superb display against PSV Eindhoven on Wednesday night.
Sterling set up both goals for Arsenal in their 2-2 draw against the Dutch side in the Champions League last-16 second leg as the team secured a 9-3 aggregate victory to set up a quarter-final tie with Real Madrid.
The England international teed up Oleksandr Zinchenko's piledriver to open the scoring before whipping in a superb fizzing cross for Declan Rice to nod Arsenal in front again after Ivan Perisic had equalised.
It was arguably Sterling's best performance in an Arsenal shirt since joining on loan from Chelsea, having only started seven times in all competitions under Mikel Arteta. Sterling said he was always confident in his ability and stayed focused on impressing when he got the chance.
READ MORE: Three players send Mikel Arteta message as Arsenal reach Champions League quarter-finalsREAD MORE: Mikel Arteta makes Champions League vow as Arsenal discover quarter-final opponents"It was nice to be out there and contribute to the team," he told TNT Sports. "I know what I am capable of. You just want to be playing. You are at a top club with top players and you just have to wait for your moment. And that is what I am doing. I am still faithful that I have still got a big part to play.
"You can only control what you can control. I have not had as many minutes as I would have liked but I have had the opportunities. It is down to myself to keep knocking at the door. I believe within myself that I have a lot to play here, whether it is 10 minutes, 45 or a start. I just need to be ready and try and help the team as much as possible.
"With a leader like Mikel he is not someone I want to be knocking at his door physically, he is the one in charge. All I can do is what I can do which is on the training field or here. It's down to me to keep pushing and have that in his thought process."
Sterling now has one goal and four assists in all competitions but hasn't been able to help Arsenal in the Premier League since joining from Stamford Bridge.
The Gunners have slipped 15 points behind league leaders Liverpool in the title race but Sterling is still eager to help the team push the Reds as far as possible.
"Yes we are a few points behind [in the Premier League] but there are all different circumstances [for that]. I think the boys have done really well and in the last bit of the season [are ready] to give it a right push."
Sterling won't be available for Arsenal's next game as they welcome his parent club Chelsea to the Emirates, while he will also be suspended for Real Madrid's visit in the quarter-finals of the Champions League after picking up a late yellow card.
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