Viktor Gyökeres has reportedly turned his attention towards Kai Havertz following Arsenal’s humiliating Carabao Cup exit against Fleetwood Town, with the Swedish striker’s alleged frustration raising questions about the relationship between the two forwards and the atmosphere inside Mikel Arteta’s dressing room.
Arsenal suffered one of the most embarrassing defeats in their recent history on Tuesday night, October 27, after being eliminated by fourth-tier Fleetwood Town following a 1-1 draw and a 5-3 penalty shootout loss. However, there is no verified report confirming that Gyökeres actually blamed Havertz for the defeat, and the alleged accusation should be treated as an unconfirmed storyline rather than an established fact.
The result was particularly painful for Arsenal supporters, who expected the Premier League champions to overcome lower-league opposition and progress comfortably into the next round. Instead, the Gunners delivered a disappointing performance that exposed several weaknesses in their attacking play, decision-making and ability to control a match against determined opponents.
Fleetwood Town showed courage, organisation and determination throughout the contest, refusing to be intimidated by Arsenal’s reputation. The home side took the lead through Aaron Loupalo-Bi in the first half, leaving Arteta’s players with the difficult task of recovering from an unexpected setback.
Arsenal eventually found an equaliser through Gyökeres shortly after the interval. The Swedish international’s goal offered a brief moment of relief, but it was not enough to prevent the visitors from suffering a disastrous cup elimination.
Despite the equaliser, Arsenal struggled to turn their superior technical quality into a decisive advantage. Their attacking movements frequently lacked the sharpness required to break down Fleetwood’s resistance, while several opportunities to secure a late winner went unconverted.
The match eventually proceeded to penalties after neither side could find another goal. Fleetwood converted all five of their attempts, while Bruno Guimarães missed Arsenal’s crucial spot-kick, allowing the hosts to celebrate a remarkable victory.
The defeat has naturally generated questions about Arsenal’s attacking options, with supporters debating whether the club’s forwards did enough to justify the manager’s selection decisions.
Gyökeres and Havertz have both faced scrutiny during the campaign because of the competition for the centre-forward position. Their different playing styles offer Arteta tactical options, but the manager must find a way to ensure that his attacking players operate effectively together.
Gyökeres is known for his physical strength, powerful running and ability to attack spaces behind defenders. Havertz, meanwhile, offers intelligent movement, link-up play and the ability to occupy different attacking positions.
On paper, those qualities could complement one another. However, a partnership between two forwards requires effective communication, accurate passing and a clear understanding of when each player should occupy particular spaces.
When those elements are missing, an attack can become predictable and chances can disappear.
The reported accusation against Havertz would therefore raise serious questions if it were ever confirmed. Blaming a teammate following a disappointing result would represent a significant development in Arsenal’s dressing-room dynamics, especially at a time when the club needs unity to recover from such a damaging defeat.
Nevertheless, the available match reports do not establish that Gyökeres made such a statement.
What is clear is that Arsenal failed to deliver the performance expected of a team competing at the highest level. Their inability to put the game beyond Fleetwood allowed the underdogs to remain in the contest until the final whistle.
For Gyökeres personally, the evening offered a mixture of encouragement and disappointment. Scoring his first goal of the season for Arsenal was an important moment for a striker who has faced questions about his form and his place in the starting lineup.
However, the goal ultimately became a small consolation after the team’s elimination.
The Swedish forward will want to build on that moment, establish greater consistency and demonstrate that he can deliver when Arsenal need him most. His challenge will be to turn individual progress into performances that help the entire team.
Havertz, meanwhile, will also face pressure to demonstrate his value to the side. Competition for places is inevitable at a club with Arsenal’s ambitions, and every disappointing performance creates opportunities for supporters and commentators to question selection decisions.
Arteta must manage that competition carefully. Both players need clarity about their responsibilities, while the manager must ensure that tactical disagreements do not become distractions.
The Arsenal boss will also have to examine why his team struggled to impose itself against Fleetwood. Although the red card shown to teenager Max Dowman late in the match complicated Arsenal’s attempts to find a winner, the team had already struggled to establish complete control.
Discipline, attacking efficiency and composure under pressure will all require attention before Arsenal return to Premier League action.
The defeat also means Arsenal have missed an opportunity to continue their pursuit of the Carabao Cup. For a club with ambitions of collecting multiple trophies, losing to a fourth-tier opponent represents a major disappointment.
Supporters will understandably demand a response from the players, particularly with important fixtures approaching. Recovering from this setback will require more than pointing fingers or focusing on individual mistakes.
The players must take collective responsibility, learn from the performance and demonstrate greater determination in their next match.
Ultimately, the suggestion that Gyökeres has accused Havertz of causing the defeat remains unverified. What cannot be disputed is that Arsenal’s entire team failed to produce the performance required to eliminate Fleetwood Town.
Whether Gyökeres and Havertz can establish a more effective attacking partnership will be one of the questions Arteta must address as the season progresses.
For now, Arsenal’s priority should be restoring confidence, improving their attacking coordination and ensuring that Tuesday night’s embarrassment becomes a lesson rather than the beginning of a wider crisis.