THE SECRET REASON TIM HOWARD WARNED MIKEL ARTETA NOT TO EMBARRASS VIKTOR GYOKERES
Mikel Arteta faces criticism over Viktor Gyokeres' form. Discover Tim Howard's warning and the fallout from the Forest draw.
Mikel Arteta’s come under fire for how he’s handling striker Viktor Gyokeres after Arsenal’s frustrating draw with Nottingham Forest.
Arsenal missed a golden chance to pull away from Manchester City at the top of the table. City lost the derby to United, but Arsenal couldn’t break down Forest and had to settle for a point. They could’ve gone nine clear, but nothing clicked in front of the goal.
Arteta started his £64 million summer signing, Viktor Gyokeres, at the City Ground. It just didn’t happen for him—he barely got a sniff and came off for Gabriel Jesus with half an hour left. Sure, Gyokeres scored against Chelsea in the Carabao Cup semi-final a few days earlier, but in the league, he’s only found the net once since November.
Even with Jesus and Kai Havertz fit again, former Premier League keeper Tim Howard doesn’t think Arteta will ditch Gyokeres just yet. Howard told NBC Sports he understands Arteta has to “manage the situation” but warned him not to “embarrass” the striker Arsenal bought to fix their scoring problem.
Asked if he thinks Gyokeres will get dropped, Howard said, “It’s a big call. I’d say no—they were desperate to get him in the summer and spent big to do it. Arteta needs to handle this carefully. He probably can drop him, honestly, because he’s got plenty of options. But you can’t just haul him off at half-time or humiliate him. You’ve still got to get the best out of him.”
On Arsenal’s performance, Howard said, “They’re going to have days like this. Usually, Arsenal grind teams down with set pieces and patience, but today, it just didn’t come. I think Arteta will be annoyed with his subs—he threw on some impact players, but nothing really changed. That’ll frustrate him.”
Arteta, for his part, tried to stay positive after the draw. “Of course, we wanted to win. We knew it’d be tough—Forest set it up to make it hard. We had four massive chances and a clear penalty, but just didn’t put them away. We have to do better, no question, especially when we create so much. But this is happening to every team in the league right now. We still have to step up."
He added, "Credit to Forest; they’re well-organised and always find ways to slow you down. We pushed right to the end and tried to find a goal. I don’t think we gave up a single shot. But that’s football—fine margins, and we couldn’t get over the line.”
Arsenal’s schedule doesn’t get any easier. They face Inter Milan in the Champions League on Tuesday, then it’s Manchester United at the weekend.
WHAT IS THE "AURA" MIKEL ARTETA SEES IN BUKAYO SAKA’S RECENT PERFORMANCES?
"He shifts momentum." Read Mikel Arteta’s full analysis of Bukayo Saka’s importance ahead of the crucial West Ham showdown.
Mikel Arteta sees something special in Bukayo Saka’s presence on the pitch, an “aura” that he believes could drive Arsenal toward a Premier League title, just three games away from ending a 22-year wait.
During Saka’s recent absence with an Achilles injury, Arsenal managed only a single win in five matches. His return, however, seemed to breathe new life into the squad. Saka set up Viktor Gyokeres for the opener before scoring himself in a solid 3-0 victory over Fulham last weekend.
More crucially, Saka netted the decisive goal that helped Arsenal secure a 2-1 aggregate win over Atlético Madrid, booking their first Champions League final appearance since 2006.
Since making his debut for the Gunners seven years ago, the England international now carries the hopes of pushing Arsenal for vital points, starting with a key clash against relegation-threatened West Ham at the London Stadium, followed by matches against Burnley at home and Crystal Palace away on the season’s final day.
When asked about Saka’s importance, Arteta highlighted the growing role he plays not just within the team but also in how opponents see him. There’s a clear presence, a certain quality that sets him apart. According to Arteta, Saka can shift a game’s momentum at any time, and instilling that kind of respect or even fear in the opposition is invaluable.
Arteta also touched on managing Saka’s comeback after injury, emphasising the idea of channelling fresh energy and motivation into his performance rather than rushing him back too soon. He described it as a privilege to have a player like Saka, someone who embodies core values and principles, both on and off the pitch. Beyond the football, there’s a human connection that makes working with him rewarding. What Saka showed, especially in the recent Champions League semifinal, was nothing short of remarkable.
Alongside Saka, Declan Rice has also become a pivotal figure since his £100 million move from West Ham last year. Now 27, Rice will make his 59th appearance of the season when Arsenal faces his former club on Sunday. His impact has been significant, earning him runner-up in the Football Writers’ Association Footballer of the Year award behind Bruno Fernandes.
Arteta praised Rice as a key leader and a major force for the team, underlining the powerful role he plays as Arsenal chase success this season.
WHY DID JURRIEN TIMBER’S "SIMPLE" INJURY TURN INTO A SEASON-ENDING MEDICAL MYSTERY?
After reaching the Champions League final, Arsenal face a fitness race for key stars ahead of their clash with West Ham.
Mikel Arteta has admitted that both Mikel Merino and Jurrien Timber are running out of time to get fit before the season ends – a tough setback for Arsenal right now.
Both have been out for weeks, dealing with foot and ankle injuries. The hope was always that they’d be back for the final stretch, giving Arsenal a boost when it matters most. This week, Merino at least made it back onto the training pitch, but Arteta has confirmed neither he nor Timber will be involved in Sunday’s big match against West Ham.
Arteta said he has no new injury problems elsewhere, but for Merino or Timber to play before the end of the season, their recoveries would have to be almost perfect. Timber’s situation in particular has turned out to be more complicated than they first thought.
“That’s probably been the hardest part for everyone. For me, for the player,” Arteta said. “We really didn’t think it would take this long, and he’s still not ready.”
Meanwhile, things are going well for Arsenal on the pitch. They’ve pulled five points clear at the top of the Premier League, and they just beat Atletico Madrid, booking a spot in their first Champions League final in two decades.
There’s still a twist, though. Manchester City play Brentford first this weekend, and they still have a game in hand. Even so, if Arsenal win their last three matches, the title is theirs.
Next up is West Ham, who are fighting to avoid relegation and could easily trip Arsenal up. Arteta knows his team can’t afford any slip-ups. “After the Atletico win, I was completely caught up in the emotion. You could feel what it meant to everyone fans and the staff. But straight after, my focus went to West Ham,” he said.
“We talked as a team about how we’ve earned the chance to be in the final, and we have time to get ready, but right now, all our focus and all the details need to go into West Ham.”
