Should Arteta keep faith in Havertz over Gyokeres against Liverpool?
Arsenal's two senior strikers have combined for zero Premier League goals since early September, yet Mikel Arteta faces a genuine selection dilemma ahead of Sunday's trip to Anfield: stick with Kai Havertz's all round game, or turn to Viktor Gyokeres in search of a spark.
Havertz has not scored in any competition in 561 minutes, more than nine hours of football, since netting against Chelsea in September. Gyokeres finally ended his own drought in Tuesday's Carabao Cup shoot out defeat to Fleetwood Town, bundling in an equaliser from close range, but his underlying numbers remain stark. He has failed to register a single shot in eight Premier League starts this season, a total only bettered by Randal Kolo Muani since the start of last term, and has had no shots at all in 160 Champions League minutes, according to Sky Sports.
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Defenders outscoring the strikers
Arsenal's defenders have scored more goals in all competitions than the club's recognised forwards this season, a detail Sky Sports highlighted as damning given Arsenal sit level on points with Manchester City at the top of the table. The club have spent just £224.5m on forwards since Arteta's appointment in 2019, compared with £550.1m on midfielders and £350m on defenders, a disparity that has left the squad without what the piece describes as a world class goalscorer. That gap will be thrown into sharp relief on Sunday against Alexander Isak, the striker Arsenal reportedly coveted before his £125m move from Newcastle to Liverpool, who already has six league goals this season.
The case for Havertz
A head to head comparison of the pair's last two Premier League starts against Liverpool favours Havertz heavily. In those two games he had 80 touches, more than three times Gyokeres' total, along with five shots worth 1.22 xG and 14 touches in Liverpool's box. Gyokeres, by contrast, failed to register a shot in either of his last two starts against Liverpool and managed just 25 touches, only four in the box, 11 passes and three duels won across both matches.
Jamie Carragher, discussing Arsenal's title credentials, said Arteta's side still lack “star power” in attack. Brentford owner Matthew Benham's view on assessing strikers was also referenced in the piece: “For a striker, getting in position is way more informative than finishing.” By that measure, Havertz's seven shots against Fleetwood, albeit unconverted, still outstrip Gyokeres' output in recent weeks.
Arsenal did attempt to solve the forward conundrum in the summer, pursuing Vinicius Jr and Julian Alvarez without success before sticking with Havertz and Gyokeres. Mikel Merino remains an option as a makeshift striker, but given the breadth of his contribution in build up play, Havertz looks the more likely starter at Anfield. A first goal since September would arrive at a timely moment for both player and club.
