Arsenal selection shock expected as Mikel Arteta faces huge new dilemma

In partnership with

Evening Standard

·1 December 2025

Arsenal selection shock expected as Mikel Arteta faces huge new dilemma

Gunners boss predicted to make a surprise call for ‘big games’ after one player stood up against Chelsea

Theo Walcott believes that Mikel Arteta will start Mikel Merino ahead of Viktor Gyokeres “a lot more often” for Arsenal after Sunday’s 1-1 draw with Chelsea, insisting he “trusts him more” in big games.

With natural strikers Gyokeres and Gabriel Jesus presumably only fit enough for the Gunners bench after making their respective returns to the squad after injury, Merino once again excelled in a false nine role in a fiery contest at Stamford Bridge.

Having recovered from a dangerous red-card challenge to his ankle by Moises Caicedo in the first half, the Spaniard remained an impressive emergency option up front, registering a crucial equaliser as he headed home Bukayo Saka’s cross just shy of the hour mark, quickly cancelling out Trevoh Chalobah’s own opening header for the 10-man Blues 11 minutes earlier.

OneFootball Videos

It was a third goal during his latest run in attack for Merino, who netted a brace during the 3-0 Champions League win over Slavia Prague last month with Gyokeres missing with a hamstring strain, Jesus still recovering from a long-term knee injury and Kai Havertz also out after his own knee surgery.

The 29-year-old - who has also scored six goals for Spain this season, including a hat-trick against Turkey in World Cup qualifying - has also provided two assists in that time.

Merino similarly impressed when called to stand in up front last season, though many thought the high-profile £63.5million summer arrival of Gyokeres from Sporting would eliminate the need for him to do so again this term.

However, Walcott expects Merino to likely be picked ahead of Gyokeres for certain big games moving forward, with the latter having faced criticism in some quarters for a lack of impact in such fixtures since joining Arsenal before he notched twice in the 4-0 Champions League demolition of Atletico Madrid in October.

Big-game mentality: Theo Walcott believes Mikel Merino could prove a better option up front for Arsenal than Viktor Gyokeres in high-profile fixtures

Getty Images

Gyokeres’ other goals for Arsenal so far have come against struggling Premier League trio Leeds, Nottingham Forest and Burnley, while Merino has scored against both Newcastle and Chelsea, as well as against Liverpool (home and away), Chelsea and Real Madrid last season.

“I think he’s [Merino] more trusted in the big games,” former Arsenal stalwart Walcott said on Sky Sports. “I do. I think he’s a player where you know what you are going to get, you know exactly the kind of game you are going to face.

“And he’s got so much experience in these games. I think Gyokeres will be more of an impact player in the big games. I do. I really do see that now. I think he trusts him a lot more.

“I think Gyokeres, it will probably do him a lot of good just to visually watch from the outside. Yeah he’ll be wanting to play, I understand that. However, I think he will learn a lot from what Merino does and try to change his game a little bit.”

Asked directly if he thought Merino would be picked over Gyokeres up front for Arsenal, Walcott replied: “I can see that happening a lot more often, yeah.”

Fellow Sky Sports pundit Daniel Sturridge disagreed with Walcott, stating: “They have been crying out for a striker. I think Merino brings that stability in there, he brings that extra defensive body, almost like a false nine.

“But they’ve been searching for that goalscorer man, that’s why they spent that money. You need to have that brother on the pitch if he’s fit and firing, you’ve got to have him out there.

“I do agree that Merino gives them a different kind of problem for the opposition, but you need your big hitters out there man and Gyokeres was bought to provide goals in big moments. That’s what he’s there for.”

Sturridge also said that Gyokeres would be “fuming” with Jurrien Timber after the defender got in front of the unmarked, leaping Swede to miss the target with a header from Hincapie’s inviting cross from the byline late on against Chelsea, with Walcott insisting that Gyokeres had been “too nice”.