Arsenal backed to ‘replace’ Gyokeres ‘soon’ for one reason as another summer signing sent warning
Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta has been tipped to ‘replace’ Viktor Gyokeres ‘soon’, while another summer signing has been sent a clear warning.
On Tuesday night, Arsenal travelled to face La Liga side Athletic Bilbao in their first Champions League group game of the 2025/26 campaign.
The Gunners were far from their best against their Spanish opponents as little was between the sides for most of the game.
However, Arsenal’s superior depth made the difference as substitutes Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard scored in the final 20 minutes to seal an important 2-0 victory.
Martinelli scored almost instantly after replacing summer signing Eberechi Eze, who had a nothing performance as he struggled to make an impact from the left.
Speaking post-match, pundit Steve McManaman sent a clear warning to Eze, who is “facing a different class of opposition”.
“He’s facing a different class of opposition. They’re quicker, stronger than he’s faced in the Premier League and with Crystal Palace,” McManaman said.
READ: Arsenal have ‘two things’ needed to win Champions League despite Viktor Gyokeres ‘problem’
“He knows now his level of game will have to jump up. You’re now playing big boys football in the Champions League against the best teams around.
“If you want to compete you have to better, you have to be quicker than he’s shown tonight.”
McManaman added: “Just because you get new signings doesn’t make you instantly better than what you’ve already got. It makes the competition bigger.
“All they [Arteta’s existing players] can do is come onto the pitch and make an impact, change the flow of the game. Both of them came on and did that.
“With all respect, Martinelli did more in five minutes than Eze did in 60-75 minutes.”
MORE ARSENAL COVERAGE ON F365…
👉 Romano reveals Saliba new deal deadline at Arsenal as Real Madrid eye ‘Bellingham of defenders’
👉 Rio Ferdinand tells ‘salivating’ Arsenal fans to ‘say sorry’ to £52m Gunners ‘saviour’
👉 Andrea Berta’s genius summer signing opens Arsenal door to £100m Real Madrid windfall
Fellow summer signing Gyokeres also did very little against Athletic Bilbao and before this match, former Premier League striker Troy Deeney explained why he thinks Arsenal will ‘replace’ their No.9 ‘soon’, with Kai Havertz tipped to play in the “bigger games”.
“I just think when you look over the totality of his career which, I’m a little bit of a nerd, I do do this, he doesn’t score in the big games consistently, and that’s what Arsenal are going to need,” Deeney told talkSPORT.
“So, when they played against Man United… This is perfect because in my family now, because of my wife’s side, loads of Arsenal fans. So when they played Man United, can’t get any of them on the phone, they all go missing.
“The week after against Leeds he scores two, they’re phoning my phone, so it’s like this big thing that keeps [going] up and down.
“He didn’t do anything against Liverpool, but they’re the games they brought him in for.
“Even if you don’t score, you’re a nuisance, you’re a threat, you make other people say, ‘Right, we need to deal with you’, which opens up space for [Bukayo] Saka, Eze, [Noni] Madueke, whoever it is.
“I just think in those moments, it’s where he’s going to fall short and I think in those bigger games, when everyone is up to speed, Havertz will play in those games, I really do.”