Arsenal Set To Be Without Star Forward For Tricky Champions League Test

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Arsenal striker Viktor Gyökeres is not expected to characteristic successful this week’s Champions League conflict pinch Slavia Prague pursuing his absence from training connected Monday.

Gyökeres was notably missing from nan convention nan time earlier nan crippled successful nan Czech capital.

The Sweden world bagged conscionable his 4th Premier League extremity since a £63.4 cardinal ($83.3 million) summertime transportation from Sporting CP during Saturday’s triumph complete Burnley, having antecedently gone 5 games successful nan convention without scoring.

Next. Gyokeres bio. Viktor Gyökeres: The Man Behind nan Mask. dark

Gyökeres was forced disconnected astatine half-time aft emotion what head Mikel Arteta described arsenic “something muscular.” The Gunners leader past resorted to past season’s maneuver of employing midfielder Mikel Merino arsenic a mendacious nine. With Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus still sidelined, nan Spain world is now apt to get nan motion arsenic a starter against Slavia Prague.

At slightest Gyökeres whitethorn not beryllium missing for excessively agelong arsenic Arteta added it was conscionable a “little niggle.”

Viktor Gyökeres only played 45 minutes astatine nan weekend. / James Gill/Danehouse/Getty Images

Arteta said it was a “shame” that Gyökeres couldn’t play much than 45 minutes against Burnley, considering it among nan player’s champion performances successful an Arsenal garment to date.

“I deliberation that was 1 of nan champion games he has played. I deliberation wide his capacity was exceptional. Everything—his precocious press, his position and his touches. His moving successful behind, nan measurement he linked play, nan measurement he sewage america from this business to modulation moments, a lot.

“I deliberation he was successful a really bully moment.”

Critics of Gyökeres, 27, who had ne'er played successful 1 of Europe’s apical 5 leagues until 3 months ago—nor immoderate apical formation shot astatine each until joining Sporting successful nan summertime of 2023—might reason that he is yet to warrant his mega value tag successful a large game.

All 4 of his Premier League goals truthful acold person travel against struggling teams pinch leaky defences—Leeds United, Nottingham Forest, Burnley—while he has consistently drawn blanks against much challenging opponents nearer nan apical of nan table.

The striker did, however, people doubly successful nan 4–0 Champions League thrashing of Atlético Madrid. Occasionally, attackers signed from overseas find European competitions easier than home shot owed to a different emphasis, arsenic was nan lawsuit pinch Rasmus Højlund astatine Manchester United.