Arsenal may have to activate ‘protocol Mikel Merino’ yet again should Kai Havertz miss time due to an injury.
The 27-year-old has become a symbol of the new-look Gunners this season. Mikel Arteta had already tested him leading the line last term – and the German international surprisingly got the nod in the Champions League final.
Not only did Havertz repay Arteta’s faith by scoring their only goal that day, but also became the starting centre-forward. £55million signing Viktor Gyokeres had plenty of opportunities and was given the benefit of the doubt following his move from Portuguese football. But he has ultimately failed to nail down a spot in Arteta’s preferred XI.
With Havertz possibly facing some time in the sidelines due to a reported hamstring issue, Gyokeres may receive more opportunities. But stats show he might actually be Arsenal’s third best choice to lead the line.
Who should get the nod as Arsenal striker should Havertz miss time?
Mikel Merino the best like-for-like replacement
Arsenal are looking way more loose and fluid in possession this season compared to the last few ones. Havertz’s skills on the ball, along with the target-man build, allows them to play through the middle more easily.
His tendencies to drop deeper give more flow and movement to the attacking actions, making it harder for opponents to defend them.
A lot has been said about Brighton and Hove Albion completely and utterly demolishing them last time around in the Premier League. But let’s not forget that was the very first time Arsenal dropped points this season. Prior to that game, the Gunners were enjoying a perfect start to the new campaign, winning each of their first seven matches across all competitions.
Merino’s original position as a midfielder, just like Havertz, makes it a seamless transition for Arsenal’s current play style. He is also much more comfortable on the ball than Gyokeres, and drags defenders out of position more often rather than looking to run in behind.
He also appears to somehow have a knack for goalscoring, always popping up at the right place at the right time. The Spaniard has shown it time and time again, both for the Gunners, during stretches in the last season and even the previous one, but also in international duty for Spain.
In fact, considering exclusively the time played as centre-forward, Merino ranks first in goal contributions per 90 minutes for Arsenal since the start of last season.
Havertz and Merino dominate most of the attacking stats in this specific scenario, too. Gyokeres does stand out in terms of receiving chances and putting himself in good goalscoring situations.
But the other two aren’t far off from him in this regard and are considerably more efficient than the Swede.
Goalscoring stats since start of 2025/26
| Stat (per90) | Kai Havertz | Mikel Merino | Viktor Gyokeres |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goals + assists | 0.78 | 0.89 | 0.59 |
| Goals | 0.69 | 0.51 | 0.51 |
| Assists | 0.09 | 0.38 | 0.08 |
| Shots | 2.4 | 1.9 | 2.3 |
| Shot accuracy | 50% | 40% | 40% |
| Expected goals | 0.49 | 0.36 | 0.49 |
| xG performance | +2.3 | +1.2 | +0.8 |
| Big chances | 0.95 | 1.02 | 1.05 |
| Big chance conversion | 55% | 50% | 37% |
| Chances created | 1.2 | 1.2 | 0.9 |
| Big chances created | 0.1 | 0.4 | 0.2 |
| Expected assists | 0.08 | 0.16 | 0.08 |
| Touches | 38.7 | 45.6 | 25.5 |
| Aerial duel success | 44% | 36% | 32% |
When talking about attacking output and tactical fit with Arteta’s playing style, Merino is not only the best option but also one that produces in similar fashion to Havertz.
Argument in favour of Gyokeres
There are, however, a few factors that could benefit Gyokeres if Arteta does have to replace Havertz for a while.
As mentioned previously, there is no assurance that the defeat to Brighton will be a turning point in Arsenal’s momentum. The reigning champions deserve the benefit of the doubt and could very well bounce back from it.
But if more teams follow the Seagulls’ blueprint for how to play against the Gunners, things could change. The last two sides to record less than 10 passes per defensive action (PPDA) against Arsenal, which means allowing them fewer than 10 passes for every defensive action attempted, were Brighton in a 3-0 win and Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League final.
When facing high pressure, having an outlet such as Gyokeres could be a huge help. Havertz and Merino like to drop deep and help provide numbers and passing lanes, but it also means more opponents in your own half should the other team go for a man-oriented approach out of possession.
This could eventually lead to Arsenal losing the ball near their own goal while trying to play through, or having no target up front for long balls and just giving possession back to the opposition.
Gyokeres offering something different
Gyokeres is a better option to pin the opposing backline and explore runs in behind for the space that would inevitably open up. It would just be a matter of accessing it – something that Havertz and Merino don’t provide as much.
And Arsenal have indeed faced fewer low blocks and more high blocks this season than in the last.
The Gunners have tried to build up against low blocks 26.3 times per game this term, a light decrease when compared to last season (26.3). And the same is true for build-ups per game against high blocks: 25.4 this season as opposed to 23.6 last year.
Not to mention that Gyokeres still delivers solid attacking numbers overall, averaging 0.6 goal involvements per 90 in an Arsenal shirt, despite a lack of efficiency in the department and never looking like a perfectly suited striker for Arteta’s system. Unfortunately for him, Havertz and Merino have produced more.