Arsenal could turn to Viktor Gyokeres against Leeds United if Kai Havertz is unavailable, and the Swede has already shown how he can hurt these opponents.
His two goals in the 5-0 home victory on 23 August 2025 offer a useful starting point. They also show why simply pointing to the final score would give Mikel Arteta an incomplete selection argument.
Havertz’s withdrawal from Germany duty with a muscle strain creates a possible opening. It does not yet establish that Arsenal must change their starting striker for 10 October.
This is a tactical case for how Gyokeres could be used if selected, rather than a prediction of Arteta’s team.
Gyokeres vs Leeds: look beyond the two goals
The Premier League’s report of last season’s meeting records two different finishes: a goal after cutting inside from the left in the 48th minute, followed by a stoppage-time penalty.
The first is the more useful reference for Arsenal’s attacking plan. It illustrates the value of allowing Gyokeres to approach goal from an angle, carrying the ball into shooting range rather than receiving every pass with his back to a centre-back.
The penalty matters to the scoreline, but tells us less about how Arsenal should build attacks. Max Dowman won it after coming off the bench.
There is another detail worth remembering. Arsenal were already two goals ahead when Gyokeres scored his first. His contribution helped extend their advantage; it was not the action that initially broke the deadlock.
That distinction matters when considering what he might offer against an organised defence with the game still level.
Create the opening before asking Gyokeres to attack it
If Leeds protect the centre, Arsenal could use their left-sided attacker to hold the width while Gyokeres moves towards the gap between full-back and centre-back.
The timing would be crucial. Moving there too early allows a defender to follow and settle. Arriving as the ball travels forward creates a decision: step across towards the striker or stay connected to the defensive line.
Arsenal would then need somebody attacking the space Gyokeres leaves. Otherwise, moving their centre-forward wide could produce a promising carry without anyone available for the final pass.
A midfielder arriving towards the penalty spot would offer one solution. The opposite winger could provide another by moving inside as the attack develops.
This would be a proposed pattern for Arsenal to practise, not evidence of a weakness Leeds are certain to repeat from last season.
If Leeds instead sit too deep to allow that run, the route changes. Arsenal could work towards the byline and ask Gyokeres to attack the near post, leaving a separate runner available for the cutback.
Arsenal need a plan for a level game
The strongest lesson from the previous meeting is that different stages demand different attacking tools.
Arsenal’s opener came from Jurrien Timber at a corner. Bukayo Saka added the second before half-time. Gyokeres then had his moment after the interval.
Arteta therefore needs to consider how his team creates the first clear opportunity, alongside who is best placed to finish later chances.
Our earlier assessment of Gyokeres before January examined the broader question of his role. Leeds presents a narrower selection decision: can Arsenal provide useful service from the opening whistle?
The fixture begins a sequence that also includes Lille and Nottingham Forest, so any opportunity could carry consequences beyond one afternoon.
If Gyokeres starts, Arsenal should give him a defined route into the game: angled runs when space appears, disciplined penalty-area movement when it does not, and support close enough to keep attacks alive. Last season’s brace provides encouragement, but the next performance needs its own plan.
