What is the reason for Raheem Sterling’s unavailability for Chelsea’s match this weekend?

Arsenal will take a short trip across London on Sunday to face Chelsea, but Raheem Sterling will be unavailable for the match. The former Liverpool and Manchester City star, now on loan from Chelsea, is unable to play due to Premier League rules preventing loan players from facing their parent clubs. This restriction follows a rule change after Lomana LuaLua famously scored for Portsmouth against Newcastle in 2004 while on loan.

Arsenal have been in poor form recently, with uncharacteristic defeats that have impacted their title challenge. After losing to Inter in the Champions League on Wednesday, they now sit seven points behind Liverpool in the title race. They also lost to Newcastle and Bournemouth and drew with Liverpool in the Premier League, winning only two of their last six games. Their most recent league win was back on October 5, and this has seen them slip out of the top four, overtaken by a resurgent Chelsea and Nottingham Forest.

Sterling joined Arsenal on loan late in the summer transfer window as Chelsea aimed to streamline their squad under Enzo Maresca. While Manchester United had shown interest, it was Arsenal that secured him without paying a loan fee and reportedly covering less than 50% of his wages. Although there’s no option for a permanent transfer, Arsenal could still consider extending his stay if they negotiate terms with Chelsea.

However, Sterling hasn’t been a regular in Arteta’s team, featuring just four times in the league, totaling 123 minutes. His main contributions have come in the Carabao Cup, where he scored twice against Bolton Wanderers. Meanwhile, Martin Odegaard is back from an ankle injury, but other players remain doubtful, including Kai Havertz and Mikel Merino with head injuries and Declan Rice with a foot problem. Additionally, Riccardo Calafiori, Takehiro Tomiyasu, and Kieran Tierney are expected to return only after the international break.