According to The Times, Havertz is likely to miss Arsenal's first match after the international break, and Gyökeres could get a chance to start. However, Arsenal manager Arteta may still prefer Merino to temporarily fill the main striker position.

Havertz's hamstring injury during the international break is undoubtedly a blow to Arsenal, especially following their recent 0-3 defeat to Brighton. Havertz's impact this season goes far beyond his three goals, as his exceptional movement and spatial awareness have made the team's attack more fluid.

Regardless of whether Havertz can return for Saturday's match against Leeds United, his playing time will need to be carefully managed, making finding a replacement more urgent. Arteta's limited options in attack also highlight the team's regret at not signing Álvarez or another top striker last summer.

Typically, Gyökeres would be considered Havertz's natural replacement, but he has failed to score in five club appearances this season. Versatile midfielder Merino has become a temporary "firefighter," occasionally playing as a false nine when needed. Both players performed well during the international break, but as a striker, Merino is closer to Havertz than Gyökeres in his understanding of the game, which has helped him score many important goals.

Since Merino was first deployed as a starting striker in February 2025, he has scored one league goal every 214 minutes, totaling 9 goals. By comparison, Gyökeres scores one Premier League goal every 161 minutes. However, Merino's limitations as a center forward sometimes show. He performed very poorly in Arsenal's 1-2 loss to Aston Villa last December and was substituted in the first half. Additionally, he lacks the pace needed to break down opposing defenses.

Gyökeres showed improved form toward the end of last season, but it was short-lived, as his technical shortcomings hindered Arsenal's attacking fluidity. Arsenal now frequently needs to break down deep defensive blocks, and Gyökeres often performs better when making runs into open space to receive the ball and during counterattacks.

Diterjemahkan oleh AI.

Situs web AF kini hadir! Lihat berita lengkap, komentar, detail pertandingan, dan statistik di komputer Anda. Kunjungi: www.allfootballapp.com