Calls for Viktor Gyökeres to start Arsenal’s next Premier League game have grown after Kai Havertz struggled during Saturday’s 3-0 defeat at Brighton & Hove Albion.
Mikel Arteta kept faith with Havertz at centre-forward at the Amex Stadium, leaving Gyökeres among the substitutes.
The decision failed to produce the attacking impact Arsenal needed.
Havertz struggled to impose himself against Brighton’s defence and then missed one of Arsenal’s clearest opportunities late in the second half.
That moment has intensified the debate among supporters over who should lead the line when Arsenal return from the international break.
Viktor Gyokeres isn't a fan of what he's seeing from the Arsenal bench…😠
The Gunners trail by TWO goals against Brighton at the AMEX! ⚠️ pic.twitter.com/lBfcW3qzbW
— Football Insider (@footyinsider247) September 19, 2026
Havertz miss fuels Arsenal striker debate
The Germany international remained on the pitch as Arsenal attempted to recover from a three-goal deficit.
His biggest opportunity arrived late on when he was released through on goal.
Havertz failed to capitalise, producing an effort Bart Verbruggen dealt with comfortably.
The miss quickly became one of the biggest post-match talking points among Arsenal supporters.
A discussion centred specifically on the chance attracted hundreds of reactions on the Arsenal subreddit, with several supporters comparing Havertz’s treatment to the criticism Gyökeres has received for previous misses.
Our Arsenal player ratings against Brighton also reflected Havertz’s difficult afternoon.
He was among Arsenal’s lowest-rated starters after failing to provide the reliable focal point Arteta needed.
Arsenal fans call for Gyökeres opportunity
Gyökeres eventually entered the game during the second half.
The Sweden international had little chance to transform a contest Brighton were already controlling, but his cameo has nevertheless strengthened calls for Arteta to make a change.
One highly supported reaction in the main Arsenal post-match discussion argued that Gyökeres should start the next game, while other supporters similarly backed the striker to receive another opportunity.
The reaction is not unanimous.
Some supporters have argued Arsenal’s problems ran far deeper than the identity of the centre-forward, with one discussion noting that switching between Havertz and Gyökeres would not solve the team’s wider attacking issues on its own.
That distinction matters after such a poor collective performance.
Brighton won 3-0 because Arsenal were second best across several areas of the pitch, not simply because Havertz failed to score.
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Arteta admitted afterwards that Arsenal failed to execute several basic requirements at the Amex.
The manager criticised his team’s technical errors, duel success and inability to escape Brighton’s pressure, as detailed in our breakdown of Arteta’s post-match reaction.
That wider context means Havertz should not carry responsibility for the defeat alone.
However, centre-forward remains one of Arteta’s most interesting selection decisions.
The Brighton 3-0 Arsenal match report showed how little threat the Gunners created despite seeing plenty of the ball.
Arsenal therefore return from the international break with a question Arteta will have to answer.
Does Havertz retain the role after one difficult afternoon, or does Gyökeres now get the chance to lead the line?
Supporter reaction suggests plenty would like to see the latter.
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