Arsenal: Why Kai Havertz remains ahead of Viktor Gyokeres after Brighton loss

Arsenal's 3-0 defeat at Brighton has reopened the debate over Mikel Arteta's centre-forward options, but Kai Havertz's continued selection ahead of Viktor Gyokeres is about far more than which striker is the more natural goalscorer.

The Gunners arrived at the Amex Stadium having won their opening four Premier League matches, with Havertz starting each of them and scoring twice.

That perfect run ended emphatically on Saturday.

Havertz missed a major opportunity as Arsenal failed to score for the first time this season, while Gyokeres was introduced for Martin Odegaard in the 73rd minute and managed only six touches before full time.

For supporters who favour a more orthodox number nine, such a result inevitably brings the hierarchy back under scrutiny.

Gyokeres scored 21 goals in 55 appearances across all competitions during his first Arsenal season and possesses the power, penalty-box movement and direct running traditionally associated with an elite centre-forward.

Yet Arteta has repeatedly preferred Havertz when both players have been available.

The reason becomes clearer when considering exactly what the Arsenal manager now expects from his number nine.

Havertz is not selected simply to occupy centre-backs and wait for chances inside the penalty area.

Arteta values his ability to alter his position depending on the phase of play, combine with midfielders, contest aerial balls and influence how opponents build possession from the back.

The Arsenal boss recently described the Germany international as being "five or ten seconds ahead of the game".

"Kai is extremely intelligent; that's his biggest quality," Arteta said.

"He understands the game. He knows what is happening, he doesn't need to think about it, he just acts, and it just makes the people around him better."

That last point is particularly important.

Havertz can drop away from the defensive line and open spaces for Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard and Arsenal's other attacking players to exploit.

Without the ball, meanwhile, his starting position can change according to how an opponent wants to progress possession.

Arteta has explained that even apparently minor details such as whether the opposition goalkeeper is right or left-footed can influence the spaces his striker is asked to protect.

It is less about Havertz relentlessly sprinting towards the goalkeeper and more about guiding possession towards areas where Arsenal are ready to press.

That kind of work is difficult to measure through goals and assists.

It also helps explain why the comparison with Gyokeres cannot be reduced to which player is the more prolific finisher.

The Swede provides different qualities, particularly when Arsenal want to attack space quickly or place a stronger penalty-box presence against a deep defence.

Havertz, though, currently gives Arteta greater flexibility within the wider system, and has started the 2026-27 season as Arsenal's first-choice focal point.

The difficulty for Arteta is that tactical value becomes harder to defend whenever Arsenal stop scoring.

Havertz struggled to impose himself against the Seagulls' defence and failed to convert the best opportunity which fell his way, while the introduction of Gyokeres did little to alter the match.

Six touches in more than 15 minutes illustrates how isolated the substitute became.

That does not necessarily strengthen the argument that Gyokeres should immediately replace Havertz.

If anything, it shows that Arsenal's centre-forward issue cannot be solved simply by exchanging one player for another when the rest of the attack is failing to function.

However, the defeat inevitably raises a legitimate question over whether there will be matches in which Arteta needs a more direct number nine from the start.

Gyokeres demonstrated last season that he can score regularly, even if he has not yet reproduced the prolific numbers that convinced Arsenal to sign him.

Havertz offers greater tactical variety, but two Premier League goals in five starts will ensure that his finishing remains part of the conversation.

For now, Arteta's selections suggest that he values the German's contribution to Arsenal's overall structure more highly than Gyokeres's qualities as a conventional striker.

One scoreless afternoon at Brighton is unlikely to reverse that hierarchy.

It has, however, provided the first significant test of the logic behind it. The defeat has already prompted renewed discussion over whether Arsenal could revisit the striker market in January.

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