Arsenal Striker Conundrum: Should Havertz Keep His Spot Against Liverpool?

Mikel Arteta finds himself in a tight spot as his forwards, Kai Havertz and Viktor Gyokeres, are yet to find their scoring touch. Arsenal's strikers have notched fewer goals than their defenders this season, prompting questions about their attacking options ahead of the big match against Liverpool on Sunday. As Liverpool's Alexander Isak heads into the game with six goals to his name, Arsenal's frontmen remain in a slump. Neither Havertz nor Gyokeres has scored in the Premier League since early September, leaving fans anxious about their firepower. Havertz has been Arteta's go-to man since returning from injury last season. The 27-year-old made a splash by scoring in the Champions League final against PSG and looked promising at the start of this campaign. He netted in the Community Shield against Manchester City and added strikes against Coventry and Chelsea, but since then, he has gone over nine hours of play—561 minutes—without finding the back of the net. Gyokeres finally got on the scoresheet during a penalty shootout loss to Fleetwood Town, scoring a late equaliser in the Carabao Cup. However, creating chances has been a significant challenge for him, having managed only one shot in 148 Premier League minutes, and he hasn’t even registered a single shot across 160 minutes in the Champions League. Despite the lack of goals from their strikers, Arsenal has managed to thrive, sitting level on points with Manchester City at the Premier League's summit. They’ve also secured seven points from nine in the Champions League. But Arteta knows sustaining this success will be tricky without improved output from his forwards. The alarming statistic is that Arsenal's defenders have outscored their strikers in all competitions this season. The upcoming match against Isak—a player Arsenal had their eyes on before his hefty £125m move to Liverpool—highlights the striking void in the squad. The club's spending habits reveal a clear focus on defense and midfield, with only £224.5m allocated to forwards since Arteta took over in 2019, compared to £550.1m on midfielders and £350m on defenders. In the summer, Arsenal attempted to bolster their attack but settled for a wait-and-see approach with Havertz and Gyokeres, banking on their potential to shine. Havertz has been relatively injury-free, featuring in 10 of 14 matches this season. However, his form has dipped, evident in his performance against Fleetwood, where he missed seven clear chances. His struggles have frustrated fans, echoing Brentford owner Matthew Benham's insight that a striker's ability to find positions is a better indicator of future goals than their current finishing. Gyokeres, while having a decent record from last season, has not been able to replicate that against top-tier teams. He has not recorded a shot in eight Premier League outings, a statistic that raises eyebrows when compared to others in the league. In their recent encounters against Liverpool, Gyokeres has struggled to make an impact, failing to register a shot in both matches last season. His minimal contributions in terms of touches and passes highlight a worrying trend for Arsenal. Conversely, Havertz has been more effective in recent meetings with Liverpool, contributing significantly to Arsenal's gameplay despite not scoring. His ability to link up with teammates and create chances has been crucial to maintaining Arsenal's attacking threat. With the match against Liverpool looming, Arteta has options. Mikel Merino could step in as an alternative forward, but Havertz seems set to retain his place given the overall advantages he brings to the squad. A timely goal from him could be just what Arsenal needs to kickstart their attack.