Arsenal FC v Bayer 04 Leverkusen - UEFA Champions League 2025/26 Round of 16 Second Leg
Mikel Arteta has several key decisions to make (Picture: Getty)
Mikel Arteta has been urged to keep faith in Arsenal striker Viktor Gyokeres for the Carabao Cup final against Manchester City.
Arsenal are looking to end their lengthy wait for a major trophy when they take on their Premier League arch-rivals at Wembley Stadium at the weekend.
The Gunners already hold a nine-point lead over City in the league, and could pile further misery on Pep Guardiola’s side by denying the Spaniard a fifth league cup title on Sunday.
Arteta has several key decisions to make with his starting lineup at the weekend, not least whether to keep faith with cup keeper Kepa Arrizabalaga or restore the in-form David Raya for the final.
And at the other end of the pitch, a decision will also have to be made, with the Arsenal boss chopping and changing between Kai Havertz and the aforementioned Gyokeres in recent matches.
But while Havertz scored the injury-time goal to secure Arsenal’s place in the final, former Gunners striker Paul Dickov believes that Gyokeres could prove more of a problem to City’s back line.
‘They are two different players as well, so I think whoever he goes for, it’s going to be tough,’ Dickov told Metro via UK online casino gambling site CasinoGrounds.
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Arsenal FC v Bayer 04 Leverkusen - UEFA Champions League 2025/26 Round of 16 Second Leg
Viktor Gyokeres is pushing to start on Sunday (Picture: Getty)
‘I think Kai Havertz, he’s maybe a false nine, he causes problems with positions, he’s very intelligent.
‘But for me, being a centre-forward myself, I think Gyokeres would probably be the tougher to play against, because the one thing he does want to do is run in behind and that can be a real handful.
‘City do play a high line, and Kai Havertz, as good as he is, isn’t really somebody that you’d associate with running into channels. He’ll pick up little pockets in between the midfielders and the centre-half, clever movement and get himself in the boxes.
Arsenal FC v Bayer 04 Leverkusen - UEFA Champions League 2025/26 Round of 16 Second Leg
Max Dowman was the star of the show last weekend (Picture: Getty)
‘But Gyokeres likes to run the channels, likes to run in behind, and if there has been a criticism of City, it’s been the high line and that it’s maybe been too easy sometimes for teams to get in behind them.
‘So from my own personal point of view, I would think Arteta should start Gyokeres, given the way City are likely to set up.’
Elsewhere in the Arsenal side, the calls have grown louder for teenage sensation Max Dowman to get more playing time after his impactful cameo last weekend against Everton.
But Dickov suspects Arteta will not bow to pressure and, instead, take his time introducing the 16-year-old to the rigours of first-team football.
‘He’s obviously a wonderful, wonderful talent. Probably one of the best talents that England have had since Phil Foden at that age,’ Dickov said of Dowman.
‘He’s a talented, talented boy, but I think you’ve got to be very, very careful as well. I thought it was a wonderful moment him scoring the goal at the weekend, but you’ve just got to be very careful that it doesn’t get blown out of proportion too much.
‘I think just the fact that he’s in and around the squad at Arsenal with the world-class players that they’ve got, the fact that he’s getting minutes on the pitch and he’s being trusted by Mikel Arteta shows you how good he is and how good he can be.
‘But if anything, I think Mikel’s probably the right man. Mikel was there (at Man City) when Phil (Foden) was coming through, and I’m sure he’ll see comparisons, not just with how they play, but with the hype that’s surrounding them all and how to manage that.
‘I don’t think he’s got any better person than Mikel to manage that, along with the players around him as well, because he’s going to need to be looked after.’
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