Jamie Carragher has expressed his opinion that Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta may choose to bench summer signing Viktor Gyokeres in the club’s most crucial games this season.

Gyokeres, who has been Arsenal’s notable acquisition this summer, came with a £63m price tag and the expectation to lead the team’s charge to win the Premier League after finishing as runners-up for three consecutive seasons.

The Swedish striker failed to score on his Premier League debut on Sunday, as Arsenal secured a narrow 1-0 victory over Manchester United at Old Trafford.

Both Carragher and Gary Neville emphasized Arsenal’s strong track record against other ‘Big Six’ teams – Chelsea, Liverpool, Man City, Man United, and Tottenham – noting that Arsenal has been unbeaten in their last 22 encounters with these clubs.

Speaking on Sky Sports, Carragher supported Gyokeres to be a key goal scorer for Arsenal this season, after his impressive tally of 54 goals in 52 matches for Sporting last season, yet he hinted that Arteta might opt for different tactics in the most significant games.

‘If I’m being honest, I think they go back to Havertz in the biggest games, I think that will be the case. I can see Gyokeres playing and scoring goals,’ the former Liverpool defender said.

A surprised Neville replied: ‘He can’t leave Gyokeres out of big games’, with Carragher doubling down with ‘He can’.

‘I think Havertz is too important a player for Mikel Arteta to be left out. I don’t see that happening at all.’

In response, Neville suggested that Arteta may have an alternative opinion in pairing Havertz and Gyokeres in the same set-up.

‘Arsenal needed a centre forward and brought one in, I saw glimpses that made me think he’ll be a handful,’ Neville said.

‘[Gabriel] Martinelli looks like he’s struggling, maybe getting Gyokeres and Havertz in together is something he has to try.’

Gyokeres has been part of a big summer of investment at Arsenal, as Arteta bids to take his side the next step to claim the title.

Arsenal also signed Martín Zubimendi for £60m and Noni Madueke for £52m, with Kepa Arrizabalaga, Christian Norgaard and Cristhian Mosquera among their summer arrivals. 

Carragher and Neville both agreed Arsenal’s business indicated Arteta may look to tweak their approach in order to boost their title hopes. 

‘When you think of the great Arsenal sides, they were tough, they had great backlines, they kept clean sheets in big matches,’ Neville said. 

‘This is a title winning team who have not won a title and they have to change that.’

Carragher added: ‘ I think it’s very difficult to pick who is going to win the title, I think it will be tight. I thought it was a great result, playing poorly, going to Old Trafford, new signings, big atmosphere, the two centre backs were fantastic, the best partnership in the Premier League. 

‘Off the back of Arsenal not winning it last season, we felt they had to move the dial a bit, more football and creation and that was typical Mikel Arteta over the last 18 months, scoring from a set piece, not creating much, really big back four. 

‘Brilliant for that day but it will be interesting over the next couple of months, have they moved the dial? They brought in Zubimendi to play through the lines, a striker to score more goals.’