Leeds United are preparing to travel to north London to take on Premier League champions Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday.
Daniel Farke’s men are unbeaten in the Premier League and have again looked like a tough nut to crack. Arsenal have also looked strong early in the campaign but suffered a 3-0 defeat at Brighton just before the international break.
Leeds’ unbeaten record will come under fire on Saturday as Arsenal look to respond and show the Brighton defeat was just a blip.
However, Mikel Arteta has a few key injuries to manage, and the Arsenal boss has a major team selection headache ahead of welcoming Leeds on Saturday.
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With Kai Havertz nursing a hamstring injury, Arteta will have to start someone else up front against Leeds, and he has a major dilemma.
talkSPORT presenter Joel Beya, also an Arsenal fan, has insisted there should be no doubt about Viktor Gyokere starting against Leeds on Saturday.
The Swede scored three times against Leeds in the Premier League last season and feels that if Arteta doesn’t trust him enough to start on Saturday, it would be a major red herring about his future at the Emirates.
“I think he’s going to start”, Beya said on talkSPORT.
“If you look at his record against Leeds last season. He’s got three goals, two at home and one away, and he’s on form at the moment.
“I have seen people say that Mikel Merino should be starting. I love Merino, I think he’s the best finisher at the club, but for the good of his confidence, he has to start.
“If he can’t start against Leeds with the way he’s performed during the international break, then it’s a signal that his time could be up.”
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How can Leeds handle Gyokeres better?
Leeds will have to be far better equipped to deal with Viktor Gyokeres on Saturday, particularly given what happened the last time they faced him. The Arsenal striker scored three times against Leeds last season, showing just how difficult he can be to contain when he gets space to run into.
The obvious danger is allowing him to turn and attack the defence. Leeds cannot afford to give him the freedom to carry the ball at their centre-backs, because that is when his combination of strength, pace and finishing becomes particularly dangerous.
This could be a game where Jaka Bijol’s physicality becomes useful. Leeds need to be aggressive without becoming reckless, while the midfield also has to stop Arsenal from getting Gyokeres the ball early.
The key is not simply stopping the striker. Leeds need to cut off his supply in the first place.
I hope Leeds get the result that they justly deserve!