Should Mikel Merino become Arsenal's second-choice striker after Viktor Gyokeres disaster?
Viktor Gyokeres and Mikel Merino could soon be in competition for Arsenal role(Image: Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
Viktor Gyokeres is yet to score a goal this season for Arsenal, and before playing the entire game against Ipswich Town on Tuesday night, had just 100 minutes to his name in which he’d done little to convince Mikel Arteta he deserved more. After the Carabao Cup clash, that situation has not changed; if anything, it has worsened.
Kai Havertz has been the undisputed number one to lead the Arsenal title defence this season, despite the Swede being the top scorer during the campaign in which they ended a 22-year wait to lift the Premier League crown. The German already has three goals this season, two in the league and one in the FA Community Shield.
Gyokeres was handed the chance on Tuesday to stake a claim, but his performance was widely criticised with some accusations of a lack of fight. He had just two touches in the opponent’s penalty area in a game where the Gunners scored four goals from 12 shots, only one of which was Gyokeres, a tamely struck attempt into the arms of Christian Hason.
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He won zero of his three ground duels, completed zero successful dribbles and won just one of his three aerial duels. On the other hand, Mikel Merino from midfield mustered a goal and an assist, created four chances, with five touches in the opposition box.
When Havertz was injured during the 2024/25 season, Merino had to play 12 matches at centre-forward, in which he scored six goals and added three assists. The Spaniard has become a clutch player for club and country and is now a Premier League and World Cup winner.
He wore the captain’s armband on Tuesday night and Arteta was again full of praise for the 30-year-old.
“He's unbelievable,” Arteta said. “First of all, he's one of the most intelligent players that I've seen and worked with. Then the personality is just full of... I don't know, he just wants to give to everybody.
“You know, he thinks about everything; he thinks about everybody. And on top of that, obviously, he has qualities that are unique in football and in our team.
“His capacity to arrive at the ball, his capacity to occupy different spaces, to play in different positions, to link play with people. And as I mentioned earlier, the ability that he has to score goals like tonight is a different one that we've seen lately, but another incredible one.”
It raises the question, therefore, whether Merino should be moving above Gyokeres in the pecking order. The January transfer window is only three and a half months away from opening, and the Gunners’ interest in a forward is well-documented.
They missed out on Julian Alvarez, with it suggested that Gyokeres could have featured in such talks over a move that sadly led nowhere. Eli Junior Kroupi is another player the club hold an interest in, football.london understands, but the Frenchman suffered a significant foot injury, keeping him out of action for several months, but is expected to return well before the winter market opens.
Question marks remain, but when the opportunities come for Gyokeres, he must do better.
Tom Canton joined football.london as the Arsenal Fan Brand Writer and Presenter before becoming a permanent Arsenal Reporter in 2025. Tom produces plenty of analytical content in addition to breaking stories and is a regular attendee at matches and press conferences. Can also be found on YouTube @TheGoonerTalkTV
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