Arsenal are level with Manchester City at the top of the Premier League table and have two tough tests coming up this week
Noni Madueke celebrates scoring the Arsenal goal with (L) Viktor Gyokeres, (2ndL) Gabriel Magalhaes and (R) Declan Rice during the Premier League 2026/27 match between Nottingham Forest FC and Arsenal FC at City Ground on October 18, 2026 in Nottingham, England.
Arsenal are targeting another unbeaten week in all competitions(Image: Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
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Arsenal are ready for trips to Highbury Stadium and Anfield as Mikel Arteta targets another unbeaten week for his Gunners. The club have the Carabao Cup to contend with as well as a tough Premier League test against Liverpool on Sunday afternoon.
However, Fleetwood Town are up first as the fourth round of the League Cup arrives for the north London outfit. Arteta's side climbed level on points with Manchester City on Saturday after Enzo Maresca's side stumbled at Villa Park.
City's 2-1 loss early in the day was followed by Arsenal's 2-0 win over Everton just a few hours later. It was a double from the backline as Ezri Konsa and Gabriel secured the three points at the Emirates Stadium.
'Internal moaning' emerges
Former Aston Villa chief executive Keith Wyness claims there'll be some internal complaining at Arsenal over staff cuts coinciding with Arteta's new contract extension. The Scot believes the club have created a "bad look" after announcing the redundancies around the same time as the Spaniard's fresh terms.
Arteta's new deal, which runs until June 2030, was made public on October 7 and has seen an increase on his £10million salary alongside bonuses of £5m a year. A week later, Arsenal announced up to 60 job cuts following a review carried out by an external company.
Speaking on the Inside Track podcast, Wyness states that announcing these two pieces of news so close together has caused 'internal moaning' and is overall a "disastrous" way to handle things.
Arsenal's Spanish manager Mikel Arteta reacts on the touchline during the English Premier League football match between Arsenal and Everton at the Emirates Stadium in London on October 24, 2026.
Some 'internal moaning' has been touted as a result of Mikel Arteta's contract extension(Image: Henry NICHOLLS / AFP via Getty Images)
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He said: "It is a bad look, and I think it could have been avoided. I think it was all about timing. Look, they've obviously been in discussions with Mikel and his team for quite a while. They've obviously also been handling these redundancies and looking at the cost reductions for a while.
"So they've had time to think about this and to bring them out so close together. While they're not related, it's just a very bad look. There'll be a lot of moaning internally about the way it's done. And clubs exist very, very much on the staff. People don't understand just how valuable these people are within the clubs.
"We had this whole discussion about Man United and what a disastrous way they've handled it, and I must admit I would have expected a little bit better from Arsenal. Had it been two or three months apart, the whole thing wouldn't have looked connected."
Star told he will '100% be sold'
Viktor Gyokeres.
Viktor Gyokeres has been told he will definitely be sold in the next year(Image: James Gill - Danehouse/Getty Images)
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Gabriel Agbonlahor insists that Viktor Gyokeres will "100% be sold" before next season after failing to make an impact this year. The Sweden international started the win over Everton and grabbed the slightest of assists for Konsa's opener.
However, Agbonlahor slaughtered the striker on talkSPORT as he claimed the 28-year-old was "running in slow motion." He said: "Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ. Looks like he’s like running in slow motion, isn’t he? Looks like he can’t run.
"Can he hold the ball up? Yes, he can, but he will be one that won’t be at the club next season. Yeah, 100%. They would have got rid of him this season if they could have for [Julian] Alvarez. If Alvarez wanted to come and hadn’t turned Arsenal down, they would have said, 'I would give you Gyokeres and money.'"
In the Premier League, Gyokeres has made the starting XI just once this season and has managed 148 minutes so far. He is yet to find the net across 10 appearances in all competitions.
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