Raheem Sterling instantly breaks Champions League record in Arsenal clash

Raheem Sterling has etched his name into Champions League history in his latest outing for Arsenal.

The winger is on loan with the Gunners from London rivals Chelsea and made his first appearance in their 1-0 win at Tottenham on Sunday.

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has also trusted in Sterling for their first Champions League match of the season away at Atalanta, bringing him on in the second half.

And by stepping onto the pitch on 72 minutes at the Gewiss Stadium, the 29-year-old has achieved a feat that had never been reached before.

Sterling has become the first player to play for four different English clubs in the history of the Champions League.

His first outing came with Liverpool in 2014 when they won 2-0 at home against Ludogorets in the group stage.

It was one of just six Champions League appearances he made for the Reds before he signed for Manchester City the following year.

Sterling scored his first goal in a 3-1 win over Sevilla in November 2015, with his competition total for City sitting at 24 in 67 matches.

He helped them reach their first final in 2021 but they lost 1-0 to Chelsea, for whom he signed in 2022.

The winger made nine outings in the Champions League for the Blues in his first season, totalling three goals and an assist.

Sterling has now made a historic appearance in the competition for Arsenal as they look to improve on their quarter-final exit last season.

Sterling, a four-time Premier League winner, is also searching for an elusive first Champions League, having joined Chelsea two years on from their second title, and then City won their first the season after his departure.

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Sterling nearly made an instant impact as he fed a through ball to teammate Gabriel Martinelli, however, the Brazilian skied his shot high over the Atalanta crossbar.

But Arsenal had a major let-off early in the first half when David Raya saved a penalty by Mateo Retegui before getting down brilliantly to deny him on the rebound.

After Atalanta, Arsenal will host Paris Saint-Germain and then Shakhtar Donetsk in their next two matches in the new league phase.

Trips to Inter Milan and Sporting Lisbon follow in November, with a home match against Monaco their final Champions League fixture for 2024.

When the action returns in January, Dinamo Zagreb and Girona will be their last opponents ahead of the knockout stages.

Arsenal must finish in the top eight of the league phase to advance to the last 16 as a ninth to 24th place finish takes them to a knockout play-off, and anything below means elimination.