Arsenal supporters urge Arteta to hand Viktor Gyökeres a start after 2‑1 win over Leeds

When Arsenal finally scraped past Leeds United 2‑1 on Saturday, the relief in the stands was palpable – but a murmur of discontent lingered, especially around the lack of playing time for Viktor Gyökeres.

Gyökeres, the 28‑year‑old Swedish forward who has been in fine form for his national side – netting in all four of Sweden’s UEFA Nations League games – only entered the match in the second half. By contrast, Kai Havertz, who was nursing a niggling injury from the break, started up front and, well, struggled to make an impact.

It’s a decision that has left a sizable chunk of the Arsenal faithful frowning. On Twitter, a handful of voices summed up their frustration in just a few lines, but the sentiment was clear: Arteta is “trying to kill his confidence.”

Fans speaking out

“I want to see Gyökeres get a full 90 in the league. I’d back him over Havertz to finish those half‑chances,” wrote @TheArsenalMind, a self‑described “ardent gooner.”

Another supporter, @arsenalbabe_, added, “I would have slandered Gyökeres today but I think he did well – that pass to Saka should have been a goal.”

Even casual observers chimed in: @SirLeoBDasilva noted, “Our attack looks a lot better with Viktor Gyökeres,” while @Dat_Guy_TSB bluntly said, “Gyökeres looked better than Kai today. Deserved to start whilst he’s in form.”

These remarks, sprinkled with a bit of fan‑ish slang and occasional repetition, paint a picture of a supporter base that feels the Swede’s talent is being under‑utilised.

The striker’s own words

When asked about his limited minutes, Gyökeres was refreshingly candid. “It’s clear that I want to play football as much as possible,” he said. “Of course you expect more playing time, but we have an extremely good squad with a lot of good players and have been doing well here at the start.”

He’s only featured in six matches this season and, as of now, has yet to open his Arsenal goal‑scoring account – a fact that only fuels the debate.

Paul Dickov backs the Swedish man

Former player‑turned‑analyst Paul Dickov weighed in with a supportive nod toward Gyökeres. “I do think Gyökeres has a future with Arsenal,” he told Football London. “Even without playing all the time, he hit the 20‑goal‑a‑season mark in all competitions last season.”

Dickov also hinted that Havertz’s recent injury on international duty might present the perfect window for Gyökeres to step in. “If what I’m reading is true, Kai’s picked up an injury… this could be the ideal time to put Viktor in there.”

There are even rumors that Arsenal have considered a swap involving Julian Álvarez, with Gyökeres potentially being part of the package – a scenario that would, of course, make the Swede’s game‑time question even more urgent.

What’s next?

As Arsenal look ahead to their next Premier League fixtures, the pressure on Mikel Arteta is mounting. The manager has a choice: continue to lean on Havertz, hoping the German can regain form, or hand Gyökeres a chance to prove his worth over a full 90 minutes.

For the fans, the answer seems obvious. They want to see Gyökeres start, score, and, most importantly, rebuild the confidence they feel is being eroded by bench‑warmers. Whether Arteta will listen remains to be seen, but the chatter in the stands suggests it won’t be quiet for long.