{"id":321334,"date":"2026-04-19T20:48:05","date_gmt":"2026-04-19T15:18:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/?p=321334"},"modified":"2026-04-19T20:48:05","modified_gmt":"2026-04-19T15:18:05","slug":"why-viktor-gyokeres-has-been-dropped-for-arsenals-clash-with-man-city-football","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/index.php\/2026\/04\/19\/why-viktor-gyokeres-has-been-dropped-for-arsenals-clash-with-man-city-football\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Viktor Gyokeres has been dropped for Arsenal’s clash with Man City | Football"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Viktor Gyokeres starts on the bench for league leaders Arsenal at Manchester City (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Mikel Arteta says Kai Havertz\u2019s game \u2018intelligence\u2019 and skill to \u2018bring other into play\u2019 were aspects in his decision to drop Viktor Gyokeres right down to the bench for Arsenal\u2019s crunch match with Manchester City.<\/p>\n

The Premier League leaders have made a complete of two changes to the team that faced Sporting in midweek, with Gabriel Martinelli and Gyokeres missing out in favour of Martin Odegaard and Havertz respectively.<\/p>\n

Gyokeres has found the web in the entire Gunners\u2019 last three Premier League contests with Everton, Southampton and Bournemouth, but struggled in Wednesday\u2019s Champions League quarter-final second leg.<\/p>\n

Arteta had experimented with each Gyokeres and Havertz in the identical starting XI for the side\u2019s recent defeat at Bournemouth, however the latter shall be the point of interest of the visitors\u2019 attack this afternoon.<\/p>\n

Club captain Odegaard, meanwhile, appears to have shaken off his injury concerns to start out at No.10 having missed the goalless draw with Sporting, with Eberechi Eze moving out to the left flank.<\/p>\n

\u2018There are loads of aspects,\u2019 Arteta told Sky Sports when asked to elucidate his decision to pick Havertz over Gyokeres.<\/p>\n

\u2018Kai could be very intelligent. The best way he occupies spaces, spins players, bring players into play. All of the things which are obligatory to do on this game. He\u2019s a top player for that.\u2019<\/p>\n

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Havertz has been given the nod up front for today\u2019s visitors (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

On the duty that awaits his Arsenal team, Arteta continued: \u2018It\u2019s going to be a match between two sides who’ve loads of capability to adapt, play a distinct game with loads of quality on the pitch. <\/p>\n

\u2018We’ve got to navigate through the sport, impose ourselves in the style we’ve got done for a lot of months.<\/p>\n

\u2018Today, we’ve got a quite lot of players who can deliver that. We’ve got loads of flexibility within the team. [Odegaard] plays with loads of personality, leadership \u2013 he\u2019s very comfortable under pressure.\u2019<\/p>\n

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Odegaard has been scuffling with a knee problem (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Arteta hopes Eze is in a position to proceed his \u2018phenomenal\u2019 run for form on the large stage against second-placed City this afternoon.<\/p>\n

\u2018Every game requires various things,\u2019 the Arsenal boss said of Eze\u2019s return to the left wing.<\/p>\n

\u2018The players we’ve got around us are very essential. <\/p>\n

\u2018Ebs has been phenomenal for us for months, he\u2019s a player for this type of game.\u2019<\/p>\n

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Eze starts on the left flank in Manchester (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Today\u2019s hosts City have opted for a similar team that cruised to a comprehensive 3-0 victory away to Chelsea last weekend.<\/p>\n

There had been some doubts over Nico O\u2019Reilly\u2019s fitness after the young England international limped off at Stamford Bridge with a muscle issue, but he has been passed fit to feature on this afternoon\u2019s potential title decider.<\/p>\n

John Stones, meanwhile, has been named on City\u2019s substitutes bench and will feature for the primary time for the reason that side\u2019s win at Newcastle on March 7.<\/p>\n

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O\u2019Reilly starts after some concerns over his fitness within the week (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u2018Every manager has won before on the tactical board. They prepare best what they need to do. But after [the whistle], the opponent plays, the referee plays. Many things can occur,\u2019 Pep Guardiola told Sky Sports ahead of kick-off.<\/p>\n

\u2018Play our game-plan. That\u2019s all they need to do, in all features of the sport. Game plan, that\u2019s all.<\/p>\n

\u2018Results help. We\u2019ve had a superb results. Not perfect 95 minutes. It\u2019s mainly happened with recent players within the squad. It\u2019s essential that after a few years, we’re there. Six or seven games, we’re near being within the Champions League next season.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u2018People say, how naive is Pep? But it surely\u2019s a very powerful title for stability. Next season, we\u2019ll be there. Now we wish to increase the possibilities to fight until the tip within the Premier League.\u2019<\/p>\n

On Arteta, his former assistant at City, Guardiola added: \u2018I\u2019m not one to offer advice to Mikel, but I’d say do what they\u2019ve done all season. <\/p>\n

\u2018Because they\u2019ve been really bad right? Unbeaten within the Champions League, top of the Premier League.<\/p>\n

\u2018After all, they will adjust something. However the mindset of the team shall be the identical.\u2019<\/p>\n

For more stories like this,\u00a0check our sport page<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

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