Jamie Carragher says Viktor Gyokeres will be dropped for Arsenal when injured teammate returns

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Jamie Carragher believes Arsenal summer signing Viktor Gyokeres has not done enough to keep his place when everyone is fit for Mikel Arteta’s Gunners.

Gyokeres was Arsenal’s marquee signing this summer, joining for an initial £55m from Sporting after a prolific season in Portugal last term.

He has two goals to his name already, both against Leeds, but struggled to impose himself against Manchester United and Liverpool.

Gyokeres was signed to add a focal point to Arteta’s attack, which had previously relied on Kai Havertz, but doubts are already creeping in over the new signing’s ability to pose a threat against more resolute defences.

Jamie Carragher says Viktor Gyokeres will be dropped when Kai Havertz returns from injury

Speaking on the Overlap, Jamie Carragher agreed with a supporter who doubted Gyokeres’ ability to stand out in big games, like the ones against United and Liverpool.

“We said before about not judging players after three games but there was a lot of talk before he came in of his goal record [being] amazing,” Carragher said.

“But there was then a school of thought of other people saying ‘I’m not quite sure this guy’s good enough for the actual elite’.

“Now, we’ve only seen him for three games. He’s already got two goals, but he’s not the easiest on the eye, is he? I’m still convinced that when Havertz is fit, Havertz will play the biggest games.”

Arsenal striker Kai Havertz still out for ‘many weeks’ after undergoing surgery

One positive for Gyokeres is that he has time to get used to the Premier League and his new teammates given Kai Havertz is still expected to be out for ‘many many weeks’.

Having missed most of the second half of last season with a hamstring injury, Havertz was injured on the opening day win at Manchester United and underwent minor surgery on that knee problem.

Mikel Arteta said recently that Havertz will be out for weeks, rather than months, but is still set to be out for some time.

Arsenal also have Bukayo Saka out with a hamstring injury, while William Saliba could also be set for a spell on the sidelines. Ben White, Christian Norgaard and Gabriel Jesus also have injuries.