Until Viktor Gyokeres bundled in against Fleetwood Town, Arsenal had gone nine games without a goal from either him or Kai Havertz. But in that time, they scored 17 times through other players and lost only once. It remains a peculiar aspect of the Mikel Arteta blueprint that, while a winning project, it does not seem to automatically produce prolific strikers. Arteta surprised everyone by opting for both Havertz and Gyokeres against Fleetwood, rather than just one of them. Their performance at Highbury Stadium underlined how stylistically incompatible they are. Starting both in that game was as much about giving them a chance to fill their boots against lesser opposition. But being dumped out of the competition in one of the biggest cup shocks in English football history, with neither player excelling, leaves Arteta with a decision to make for Liverpool away. Merino has shown how effective he can be when used as a striker during injury crises in spring and winter. The Spain international also has a penchant for scoring on the big occasion — but for him to start ahead of the two others on Sunday would be a major statement from Arteta. Arteta has three workable options up front, but his team still lack the certainty a world-class No 9 would bring.   submitted by   /u/TheAthletic [link]   [comments]