Arteta tells Gyokeres to 'prove it' when his chances come

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Mikel Arteta has sent a pointed message to Viktor Gyokeres, telling the striker that opportunities will come his way but that he must take them when they arrive.

Gyokeres returned from international duty with Sweden in strong goalscoring form, but was left out of Arsenal's starting eleven for Saturday's match against Leeds United, with Kai Havertz preferred up front. The Swede was introduced after 63 minutes and played a part in Arsenal's comeback, but he remains well short of a guaranteed starting spot under Arteta.

Arteta's message on minutes

Speaking in his post-match press conference, Arteta addressed questions about Gyokeres' lack of regular starts directly. 'He will play games and he will have minutes,' the Arsenal manager said.

Arteta was equally clear about what he expects once those minutes are given. 'The best way is when they have the chance, prove it,' he added.

The Arsenal boss also pointed to the form of Mikel Merino with Spain as evidence of the competition for places across his squad, underlining that no position — including centre-forward — is currently settled.

A fair ask, or not enough opportunity?

There is a reasonable case that Gyokeres needs a sustained run in the side rather than fragments of matches to show what he can do. His performances on international duty suggest his finishing instincts remain sharp, even if his domestic game time has been limited.

Against Leeds, Gyokeres had his moments after coming on, including a late chance he was unable to convert. Arsenal won the match 2-1, completing a comeback that Gyokeres contributed to, but the overall sample size of minutes he has been given this season remains small.

Arteta has shown a clear preference for Havertz's movement and link-up play in the central striker role so far, but Arsenal committed significant resources to signing Gyokeres, and the forward will want more consistent opportunities to justify that outlay.

Tuesday's Champions League fixture against Lille at the Emirates could provide exactly that chance. With rotation likely in a European group fixture, Arteta may turn to Gyokeres from the start, giving him a proper run to respond to the challenge his manager has laid down.

How Arteta approaches his selection on Tuesday will offer an early indication of whether Gyokeres' recent international form has shifted the pecking order at Arsenal, or whether Havertz continues to be first choice through the business end of the Champions League group stage.