Arsenal take on Leeds this weekend without Kai Havertz and Mikel Arteta has a big choice to make about his replacement.
Viktor Gyokeres is in good form having scored for the 7th Nations League game running with Sweden, while Spanish star Merino is back and raring to go after missing a big chunk of last season.
So far this season, Mikel Arteta has gone with Havertz as his main man, with minutes limited for both Gyokeres and Merino.
However, faced with a choice of one or the other this weekend against Leeds, Andy Gray has named who he’d be going with.
Andy Gray names who he’d pick out of Mikel Merino and Viktor Gyokeres
Gyokeres is clearly chomping at the bit to get involved in the action and his form with Sweden should sit well with the Gunners’ coaching team.
Indeed, according to former Sky Sports man Gray, the Swedish striker simply has to get the nod, albeit he believes it will be Merino.
“I’d play Gyokeres. Gyokeres is a goalscorer, right? I’ve said that all along. He’s not in the Haaland mold of his class, but he’s that type of player. Can you imagine Haaland playing for Arsenal? Do you think he’d be out the team? No, he wouldn’t. He wouldn’t,” Gray said on Keys and Gray Unleashed.
“But what I’m saying is, so I would be playing, if I’m the coach, I’m there, but Arsenal, the way they want to play, the way Arteta wants his team to play, they want a Havertz-type centre forward, like Harry Kane.
“Like Harry Kane who drops off, gets involved in play, and that means I think Merino will start probably at the weekend, because he’s done it before. They like him.
The stats show Viktor Gyokeres is the man for Arsenal
With both Merino and Gyokeres bringing different things to the table, it will be interesting to see who Arteta goes with. However, according to the stats, Arsenal win significantly more games when Gyokeres starts.
Just going off those stats alone, it’s clear that Arsenal are more successful when the big Swede plays.
Whether or not Arteta pays any attention to that, remains to be seen.