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Kai Havertz is set for a spell on the sidelines after picking up a knee injury and that means Viktor Gyokeres will have to step up for Arsenal sooner than expected.
The Sweden international joined the Gunners for £63million from Sporting in the summer and made his competitive debut in his new side's opening weekend victory at Manchester United. A relatively quiet performance drew criticism from some while others highlighted the bright moments of his maiden appearance.
Gyokeres is expected to start against Leeds United this afternoon and he will be eager to open his Arsenal account as he looks to step up as his side's first-choice striker.
Kai Havertz's injury means Viktor Gyokeres must step up sooner than expected
Okay, before we get into this, let's just clarify. I know Gyokeres still needs time to adapt to the Premier League and he shouldn't be expected to steal headlines every week. Havertz's injury just means the Swede will have to step up sooner than initially thought.
With Gabriel Jesus already absent with a long-term issue, the loss of the German means the ex-Sporting star is now Arsenal's only available out-and-out striker. Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Martinelli are both capable of playing up top, but neither offer the same as what Gyokeres does.
When Havertz was an available option to fall back on, the Swede could be afforded more time to continue his development and adapt to the heavy demands of England's top flight. However, that is no longer a luxury the Gunners can exploit.
Arteta could turn to Martinelli or Trossard if Gyokeres is underperforming, but most fans would prefer the summer signing continues as his side's first-choice striker. With that being said, he now has to step up as he leads Arsenal's attack.
If Gyokeres fails to perform, the Gunners will find themselves in the same situation as last season with no threatening goalscorer to turn to. To avoid that, Gyokeres has to show improvement, starting with this afternoon's test against Leeds.
All he needs is confidence and the idea of being his side's only real striker option should be either a boost or a burden. Most will hope for the former! If he can grab a goal or two against the Whites, he will be oozing with trust in himself and should be able to get fully underway in the league.
It won't be disastrous if he can't get going today, but he must look to step up within the next few weeks. Gyokeres could previously be afforded chances to adapt, but that has changed. He still has time, but much less of it. He's already shown some bright moments and proved he is capable of stepping up so he now just has to go that extra length.