Mikel Arteta has reportedly admitted that both Kai Havertz and Viktor Gyökeres have yet to reach the level expected of them at Arsenal, with the manager demanding a significant improvement from the two forwards as the Gunners continue their Premier League campaign.
The comments come at a time when Arsenal are under renewed scrutiny following their disappointing 3-0 defeat to Brighton. The result brought an end to Arsenal’s perfect start to the Premier League season and exposed several weaknesses in a performance Arteta himself described as falling below the required competitive level.
For Arteta, the issue is not necessarily a lack of quality from Havertz or Gyökeres. Instead, the concern is that neither player is consistently producing everything they are capable of producing, particularly in the attacking areas where Arsenal need their forwards to make the difference in decisive matches.
Havertz has remained an important part of Arteta’s plans and has recently been preferred through the middle. His ability to link play, occupy defenders, contribute defensively and operate in different positions has made him a valuable option for Arsenal. However, expectations surrounding the German international remain extremely high.
The forward has previously produced important moments for Arsenal, including a decisive goal against Chelsea in the Carabao Cup semi-final earlier in 2026. Yet Arteta is believed to want greater consistency from Havertz, particularly when Arsenal face opponents who defend deep and require individual attacking quality to break them down.
Gyökeres faces a different situation.
The Swedish striker arrived at Arsenal following a highly productive spell at Sporting and was expected to provide the team with a powerful central goalscoring threat. Last season, he scored 21 goals across competitions as Arsenal won the Premier League title, but his position has become less secure at the beginning of the new campaign.
Havertz has started Arsenal’s Premier League matches, while Gyökeres has found himself with considerably fewer opportunities. Reports indicate that the Swedish striker had played only 12 Premier League minutes at one stage before making starts in cup competitions.
That situation has inevitably created questions about whether Gyökeres is currently operating at the level Arsenal expected when they invested heavily in him.
The striker’s situation became even more complicated after his performance against Napoli. Gyökeres was handed his first start of the season but was unable to take advantage of the opportunity, while Arsenal created a large number of chances and eventually won 1-0. Arteta praised the team’s overall performance but acknowledged that Arsenal had missed numerous opportunities.
There has also been debate about whether Arsenal’s playing style naturally maximises Gyökeres’ strengths.
Former Arsenal striker Jeremy Aliadiere has argued that Arsenal’s style does not always suit the Swedish striker, pointing out that Gyökeres is particularly dangerous when he has space to attack. Arsenal, however, frequently face compact defensive blocks that leave limited room behind the opposition defence.
That tactical question is important because Gyökeres possesses a different profile from Havertz.
Havertz is comfortable dropping deeper, combining with midfielders and participating in Arsenal’s possession structure. Gyökeres, meanwhile, is particularly dangerous when he can turn, accelerate and attack space. The challenge for Arteta is therefore finding a way to make Arsenal’s attacking structure benefit from Gyökeres’ strengths without sacrificing the control and combination play that Havertz provides.
Arteta has previously spoken positively about Gyökeres’ qualities, including his physicality, ability to create space and pressing. Earlier in 2026, the Arsenal manager also credited confidence with helping the striker produce a strong run of form, describing confidence as a major factor in allowing players to reach their highest level.
That makes the current situation particularly interesting.
Rather than suggesting that either player lacks the ability to succeed at Arsenal, the reported message from Arteta would represent a demand for greater consistency and a reminder that potential alone is not enough at a club competing for major trophies.
Arsenal’s recent defeat to Brighton demonstrated why Arteta needs his attacking players to be at their best. Brighton’s pressing disrupted Arsenal’s rhythm, while Arsenal struggled to respond to the intensity of their opponents. Arteta admitted afterwards that his players made technical errors, lost important duels and failed to compete at the required level.
The defeat could therefore become an important moment for Havertz and Gyökeres.
For Havertz, it is an opportunity to demonstrate why Arteta continues to trust him in the central attacking role. His ability to connect midfield and attack could be crucial when Arsenal need to regain control of matches.
For Gyökeres, meanwhile, the challenge is even more direct. He must take advantage of every opportunity he receives and remind Arteta why Arsenal invested in him in the first place.
The competition between the two forwards could ultimately benefit Arsenal. Rather than having an undisputed starter who is guaranteed every minute, Arteta has two players with significantly different qualities. If both can reach their highest levels, Arsenal could possess greater tactical flexibility.
Gyökeres can provide power, pace and direct running, while Havertz can offer movement, link-up play and versatility.
The manager’s challenge will be deciding when each profile is most useful.
There is also the possibility that Arteta could use both players together in certain matches. Havertz has already demonstrated his ability to operate in midfield and wider attacking positions, while Gyökeres can occupy defenders with his movement and physical presence. Such a combination could give Arsenal another attacking solution against opponents who sit deep.
However, both players will know that opportunities at a club competing at the highest level cannot be taken for granted.
Gyökeres in particular will be aware that his limited Premier League involvement means every appearance carries additional importance. A strong performance could immediately change the conversation surrounding his place in the team, while another quiet outing would likely intensify questions about whether he is suited to Arsenal’s possession-heavy approach.
Havertz, meanwhile, has the advantage of familiarity with Arteta’s tactical demands and has already established himself as an important player within the squad. But that familiarity also brings greater expectations.
Arteta wants Arsenal’s forwards to contribute more than simply occupy positions. They must create chances, combine with teammates, press aggressively, make intelligent runs and, most importantly, produce decisive actions in front of goal.
The Arsenal manager will therefore be looking for a reaction.
The Brighton defeat was a warning that Arsenal cannot rely solely on their defensive structure or midfield control. When the team is struggling to create clear opportunities, the responsibility inevitably shifts toward the attacking players to produce something different.
Havertz and Gyökeres have the opportunity to do exactly that.
Despite the current criticism, there is still plenty of time for both players to change the narrative. Gyökeres has already shown that he can score important goals for Arsenal, while Havertz has repeatedly demonstrated that he can deliver in major matches.
The challenge now is consistency.
If both forwards can rediscover their confidence and begin producing at the level their abilities suggest, Arteta’s attacking options could become one of Arsenal’s biggest strengths. If they continue to struggle, however, the manager may have to consider alternative combinations and tactical adjustments.
For now, the message surrounding both players is clear: Arsenal need more.
Arteta’s expectations are extremely high, and with the club attempting to defend its Premier League title while competing across multiple competitions, there will be little room for prolonged periods of underperformance.
Havertz and Gyökeres therefore enter the next phase of the season with something to prove. Their talent has never been the central question. The real question is whether they can consistently translate that talent into performances and decisive contributions when Arsenal need them most.