Jamie Carragher has revealed his belief that Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta could leave summer signing Viktor Gyokeres out of the starting line-up during their biggest matches of the season.
Gyokeres has been the headline summer signing at Arsenal this summer, with the £63m forward tasked with scoring the goals to help the club win the Premier League after three consecutive second placed finishes.
The Swedish striker drew a blank on his Premier League debut on Sunday, as Arsenal earned a narrow 1-0 victory against Manchester United at Old Trafford.
Gyokeres was withdrawn on the hour mark, with Kai Havertz leading the line for the remainder of the match.
Carragher and Gary Neville highlighted Arsenal’s impressive record against fellow ‘Big Six’ sides – Chelsea, Liverpool, Man City, Man United and Tottenham – with the Gunners unbeaten in their last 22 matches in those fixtures.
Speaking on Sky Sports, Carragher backed Gyokeres to be among the goals for Arsenal this season – after netting 54 in 52 games for Sporting last season – but suggested Arteta may turn elsewhere in the biggest matches.
Arsenal’s £63million signing Viktor Gyokeres has been tasked with firing them to the title
Jamie Carragher suggested Gyokeres could be left out in big matches, but Gary Neville insisted Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta would put his faith in the forward
Carragher suggested Arteta may favour Havertz in matches against ‘Big Six’ sides, given Arsenal’s impressive record in those fixtures with him in attack
‘If I’m being honest, I think they go back to Havertz in the biggest games, I think that will be the case. I can see Gyokeres playing and scoring goals,’ the former Liverpool defender said.
A surprised Neville replied: ‘He can’t leave Gyokeres out of big games’, with Carragher doubling down with ‘He can’.
‘I think Havertz is too important a player for Mikel Arteta to be left out. I don’t see that happening at all.’
In response, Neville suggested that Arteta may have an alternative opinion in pairing Havertz and Gyokeres in the same set-up.
‘Arsenal needed a centre forward and brought one in, I saw glimpses that made me think he’ll be a handful,’ Neville said.
‘[Gabriel] Martinelli looks like he’s struggling, maybe getting Gyokeres and Havertz in together is something he has to try.’
Gyokeres has been part of a big summer of investment at Arsenal, as Arteta bids to take his side the next step to claim the title.
Arsenal also signed Martín Zubimendi for £60m and Noni Madueke for £52m, with Kepa Arrizabalaga, Christian Norgaard and Cristhian Mosquera among their summer arrivals.
The Sky Sports pundits agreed Mikel Arteta may tweak Arsenal’s approach to aid their title bid
Carragher and Neville both agreed Arsenal’s business indicated Arteta may look to tweak their approach in order to boost their title hopes.
‘When you think of the great Arsenal sides, they were tough, they had great backlines, they kept clean sheets in big matches,’ Neville said.
‘This is a title winning team who have not won a title and they have to change that.’
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Carragher added: ‘ I think it’s very difficult to pick who is going to win the title, I think it will be tight. I thought it was a great result, playing poorly, going to Old Trafford, new signings, big atmosphere, the two centre backs were fantastic, the best partnership in the Premier League.
‘Off the back of Arsenal not winning it last season, we felt they had to move the dial a bit, more football and creation and that was typical Mikel Arteta over the last 18 months, scoring from a set piece, not creating much, really big back four.
‘Brilliant for that day but it will be interesting over the next couple of months, have they moved the dial? They brought in Zubimendi to play through the lines, a striker to score more goals.’