The Gunners are searching for momentum and a spark with new striker Viktor Gyokeres after a testing pre-season under Mikel Arteta
Gyokeres will '100 per cent' be ready for Premier League season - Arteta
Arsenal tackle Athletic Club in a pre-season friendly with Mikel Arteta desperate for momentum to inspire a Premier League title charge.
Viktor Gyokeres is yet to find chemistry with his new teammates and the Swedish striker will likely start here in search of goals following his £64m move from Sporting.
After defeat to Spurs in Hong Kong, Arsenal slipped up at home to Villarreal in a 3-2 loss at the Emirates, though Max Dowman has been a bright spark with the 15-year-old likely to feature this term for the Gunners.
“He [Gyokeres] is getting connections as well outside, which I think is really important with players that are going to help him to get in the position that he needs to get in,” Arteta said. “On his fitness level, he will take another step [on Saturday] and he will be in a better condition.”
It is the final preparation before next Sunday’s league opener against Manchester United at Old Trafford.
Follow live build-up, minute-by-minute updates and analysis below :
Arsenal v Athletic Bilbao - pre-season friendly
Arsenal host Athletic Bilbao at Emirates Stadium at 5:30pm BST | Live on Arsenal.com
Viktor Gyokeres set to start for Gunners in final friendly before Premier League opener
Arsenal travel to Man Utd next Sunday to begin title challenge
2 minutes ago
Arsenal vs Athletic Bilbao
Arsenal entertain Athletic Bilbao in their final pre-season friendly before the start of the Premier League next season.
Mikel Arteta’s side have struggle in pre-season, suffering back-to-back defeats to Tottenham and Villarreal, with the Basque side likely to reveal how ready the Gunners are to challenge champions Liverpool for the title.
Arteta is desperate to guide Arsenal over the line in the title race, with the hope that their new signings will position them well to dethrone Liverpool. “I think we've done that in the last three years and that's the next step,” Arteta said after defeat to Villarreal. “We know what it is and we're going to be better. It's like any other team when you look at the competition, the pieces of the puzzle that they've added. They're big ones as well so we're all trying to be at our best.”
Finding the right balance with a new midfield will also be key, as Martin Zubimendi takes a leading role alongside Declan Rice, with Saturday’s friendly likely to show us how quickly this Arsenal side can start the new campaign next week.
Mike Jones9 August 2025 16:00
1 day ago
Arsenal v Athletic Bilbao
Hello and welcome to the Independent’s coverage of Arsenal’s final pre-season friendly against Athletic Bilbao.
The Gunners have struggled in recent weeks with a north London derby defeat to Tottenham in Hong Kong and then a 3-2 loss at home to Villarreal.
Viktor Gyokeres will hope to break his duck in red before next week’s Premier League opener and the Basque side should provide a good test for Mikel Arteta’s outfit just days out from the start of the new campaign.
Jack Rathborn8 August 2025 15:11