Before the big MU clash, Arteta is pressured to 'drop' the £64 million signing

The poor performance of a main striker at Arsenal has left coach Mikel Arteta facing a tough selection dilemma.

Viktor Gyokeres has become the center of debate at Arsenal as his goal-scoring output falls short of expectations. The Swedish forward has only scored 5 goals in 20 Premier League appearances since his £64 million transfer last summer. This figure has led many experts to question his role in the title race.

Although he scored in the first leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final against Chelsea, Gyokeres was again ineffective during the 0-0 draw with Nottingham Forest. He was substituted with about 30 minutes remaining, indicating that manager Mikel Arteta’s patience is wearing thin. Lack of explosive form has made it difficult for Arsenal to assert control over matches.

Micah Richards openly expressed his concerns. On the podcast The Rest is Football, the former England defender emphasized: "I think now they need to start Gabriel Jesus". Richards believes Arteta has been too persistent with Gyokeres, while the striker shows signs of lacking confidence and struggling to adapt to the demanding Premier League environment.

Richards further explained: "The Premier League is a completely different challenge", and pointed out that Gyokeres’ strength last season was his aggressive runs behind defenses. However, that aspect has almost disappeared, making defenders less wary of him. "Maybe he needs to sit out a few games to regain his confidence", Richards suggested.

This opinion is supported by Gary Lineker, while Alan Shearer expressed surprise at the Arsenal striker’s performance. The Premier League legend bluntly stated: "I think Gyokeres has been disappointing; he hasn’t contributed enough". Shearer criticized Gyokeres for lacking decisiveness and stamina in one-on-one situations.

With Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz returning from injury, Arteta has more options ahead of the home game against Manchester United. The pressure to win forces Arsenal to consider making changes, and the decision regarding the striker position could directly impact the “Gunners”’ title ambitions.​