Gyokeres was on the bench when Bukayo Saka opened the scoring at Villa Park on the hour, still on the bench when Mikel Arteta made his first change, and still on the bench at full time.
The starting XI Arteta named against Aston Villa again featured Havertz as the central striker, with the German preferred for a second consecutive league fixture. Eberechi Eze and Mikel Merino were among those introduced from the bench before Arsenal’s biggest recent signing from Sporting CP was considered.
Saka’s finish from a low Riccardo Calafiori cross was enough for the 1-0 win at Villa Park on Monday night. Arsenal, the reigning Premier League champions, have won both league games without conceding.
Havertz keeps the shirt
Havertz has now scored twice in two league appearances and has taken up the central striker role that many had expected Gyokeres to own. Arteta explained his bench call after the Coventry opener as a mix of physical and tactical factors, saying some players not used could not have lasted the game and others were held back for match-specific reasons.
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Two matches in, the logic has held. The lineup Arteta released against Villa was unchanged from the Coventry win.
The Barcelona backdrop
Gyokeres’ non-appearance comes with reporting from Spain that he has been pushing for a move to Barcelona. Barca Universal, citing COPE journalist Victor Navarro, reported on 19 August that the striker is offering himself daily to the Catalan club.
Football Transfers separately reported that his agent has been seeking a meeting with Barcelona sporting director Deco, with the striker offering himself as an alternative after the Spanish champions’ pursuit of Julian Alvarez stalled.
Arsenal have not entered talks with Barcelona, and Arteta stated in early August, after a pre-season friendly against Girona, that Gyokeres would stay. His contract at the Emirates runs to 2030.
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The signing that was supposed to lead the attack
Gyokeres joined Arsenal from Sporting CP in July 2025 for £55m plus £8.5m in add-ons on a five-year contract. He top-scored for Arsenal last season with 21 goals across all competitions as the club won the Premier League and reached the Champions League final.
The 28-year-old was signed to make the number nine role his own. For the second league game in a row, that role belonged to Havertz.
Arsenal are next in Premier League action after the September international break.
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