Viktor Gyokeres set for important Arsenal role as Mikel Arteta faces Kai Havertz injury headache

Viktor Gyokeres could make his first start of the Premier League season immediately after the international break.

Viktor Gyokeres looks set to make his first start of the Premier League season when Arsenal face Leeds United after the international break. The Gunners striker has scored in each of his previous two meetings against Daniel Farke's side, and, with Kai Havertz nursing a muscle injury, he could be deployed at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday, October 10.

Gyokeres, whom Arsenal signed from Sporting for £64million last year, opened his account in the English top flight on the second game of the season in 2025. With Havertz unavailable for selection, the Sweden international led the frontline and fired Mikel Arteta's side to a 5-0 win over Leeds United at the Emirates Stadium.

Once Jurrien Timber had broken the deadlock and Bukayo Saka doubled the lead, Gyokeres scored two goals against the newly-promoted outfit, with one of which being a spot-kick. Speaking to reporters after the game, the Gunners boss heaped praise on his new frontman.

Arteta said: "That will help us to evolve and find other ways of attacking teams and connecting with each other. It's clear where Viktor is really dangerous, but he's a superpower, and let's put him as much as possible in those kinds of scenarios because something good will happen."

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Unfortunately for Arsenal, Gyokeres only managed to activate his 'superpower' three more times in the Premier League before the return fixture at Elland Road in January 2026. The Swede etched his name on the scoresheet again, helping the Gunners win 4-0 on the road.

Interestingly, Havertz was available for selection on this occasion, but he was deployed in the middle of the park, just behind Gyokeres. When quizzed on the Germany international's role, Arteta said: "Because of the type of game that I expected, and how aggressive and direct they've been recently.

"I believe that the game was going to allow us more space, and the temperature will come down in the second or third part of the game, and that's what we could have changed again with different qualities in the team."

Under Farke, Leeds have remained one of the most aggressive and physical teams in the Premier League, so Arteta may well give Gyokeres the nod again, only this time without Havertz. The Spaniard has lit a fire beneath the Swede, who feels he has a point to prove.

"It’s clear that I want to play football as much as possible," said Gyokeres while away on international duty. "Hopefully that will come, too. You always want to be on the field as a football player.

"Of course, you expect more playing time, but we have an extremely good squad with a lot of good players and have been doing well here at the start."

As it stands, it remains unclear whether or not Havertz will be available for selection when Arsenal host Leeds. The Gunners frontman was forced to come off during Germany's clash against the Netherlands in the UEFA Nations League last week, following a high challenge from Quinten Timber, the brother of Jurrien.

Havertz appeared to have only sustained an impact injury at first, due to the nature of the collision, but the German Football Association later announced that he had suffered a 'muscle strain'.

The Arsenal star subsequently withdrew from Jurgen Klopp's squad and returned to the Sobha Realty Training Centre, where he'll undergo further tests. The Arsenal medical staff have a week or so to determine the severity of Havertz's injury.