LOOK at the top 10 of the Premier League’s leading scorers and there is a glaring omission.
In fact, make that the top 14.
Despite leading the Premier League, despite having the second-highest goal tally behind Manchester City, Arsenal do not have a player who has scored more than five times in the top-flight this term.
That man is Viktor Gyokeres, signed from Sporting Lisbon for £54.8million in the summer, who is joint 15th in the Premier League scoring charts with eight other players
The way things are going, Arsenal’s main source of goals could be opposing players putting through their own net.
In Saturday’s 2-1 win over Brighton, Georginio Rutter became the fourth player in three matches at the Emirates to put through his own net for Arsenal – the previous one being Crystal Palace’s Maxence Lacroix in the Carabao Cup – although Arteta’s team currently need all the help they can get.
Particularly as Gyokeres, who scored 97 times in 102 appearances in Portugal, looks completely lost.
His poor form is no longer a concern but it is a major crisis. If Arsenal are to win the Premier League, they will need at least one forward to score over 20 goals.
Arteta still believes Gyokeres will come good and all of the club’s supporters are absolutely desperate for him to succeed.
During games, the Swede has not suffered any major criticism, moaning or groaning from the stands.
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Nevertheless, against Brighton, he once again looked out of his depth against the club that did not give him a single Premier League minute in his three years on the south coast.
Instead, Gyokeres joined Coventry and at least for the moment, he is looking like an EFL striker.
After a slow start, he did show some encouraging signs before suffering a hamstring injury against Burnley on November 1.
Since returning, Gyokeres has looked low on confidence, sluggish, and has failed to hold up the ball properly.
Equally, manager Arteta – and his team-mates – must take some of the blame as they are not getting the ball up to Gyokeres quickly enough.
But when he has had chances, Gyokeres has not taken them. He had an excellent opportunity in the second minute but managed a tame shot at visiting keeper Bart Verbruggen.
Before half-time, he seemed surprised that William Saliba failed to reach a cross and the ball hit his knee when he should have scored.
In the second half, he had one good chance but hammered a shot against the post.
Arsenal led 2-0 with a first half effort by Martin Odegaard followed by the own goal before Diego Gomez pulled a goal back for Brighton to set up a nervy ending.
Arteta then made his changes which included replacing Gyokeres for fit-again Gabriel Jesus.
Although the Brazilian has looked sharp on his return from an ACL injury, he is hardly a prolific striker and that is unlikely to change.
At least Jesus, though, has the experience of winning a title with Manchester City and once again, it looks as though Arteta’s team are about to try and deliver a spectacular choke.
Jesus said: “Since I arrived in this league, I think my lowest position was third.
“So I have always been in the title race. I know that sometimes you win, sometimes not.
“But I think one piece of advice is to keep going. Each game is different, you know, and then like I said against Wolves, everyone was disappointed but we took the three points.
“If we manage to win games when we don’t play well, that’s a good sign at the end.
“Because at the end when you win the title you don’t look at this game and say ‘oh we didn’t play good and then we won’.
“No, you take the three points because it can make you the champions at the end. So I think that’s the advice that I learned.”
They have the best squad in the Premier League but once again, Arsenal’s injuries are piling up with Riccardo Calafiori and Jurrien Timber the latest casualties.
Over the last month, Arsenal have been unconvincing so the visit of Aston Villa will be a huge test.
In many respects, it is a game they cannot afford to lose and a draw would not be a disaster.
Defeat to former manager Unai Emery would not only be a plus for rivals City, but it would maybe give Villa the belief that they could deliver the biggest shock since Leicester won the Premier League a decade ago.
