Arsenal vs. Leeds: Viktor Gyokeres sent "hopeful, not confident" message amid Kai Havertz injury

As Arsenal aim to get their Premier League title defence back on track at home to Leeds United in Saturday's early kickoff, Sports Mole site coordinator Ben Knapton discusses the Gunners' chances of returning to winning ways in front of the Emirates crowd.

Arsenal told to expect "awkward" Leeds test in Premier League return

I know I said, what's going to stop Arsenal this season? I said it's only going to take an injury crisis, but William Saliba out on his own is an injury crisis for Arsenal!

But Brighton is always a bit of an awkward fixture. No matter what kind of form Arsenal or Brighton are in, trips to the South Coast for Arsenal always had that awkward feel to them.

But this was not awkward. It was a catastrophe from start to finish. Arsenal weren't closing down shots from outside the box. They were beaten at their own set piece game for that third Brighton goal as well.

There was a little bit of an element of bad luck to it because David Raya has conceded the second highest share of goals from outside the box of any Premier League goalkeeper in history.

That says a few things. It could say that Raya's positioning isn't great. It could say that his height is a problem. Compared to other goalkeepers he's not massive.

The only goalkeeper who conceded a higher share of goals from outside the box in the Premier League, Hans Segers, was even shorter than Raya at 5'11", so there's a suggestion that's an issue.

But on any other day, those shots could fly wide of the post or over the bar. It was great finishing from Brighton but Arsenal were just not on it at all. They offered very little in attack.

The players certainly weren't getting too carried away with their 100% start. Maybe a few fans were. But it was not an experience we wanted, maybe one we needed.

It came at the best time, just before the international break. Against Leeds this weekend, it's going to be an awkward fixture. If you had said before the game that one of Arsenal or Leeds would be unbeaten, people would have thought Arsenal were going to be unbeaten and Leeds would have lost by now.

But it's the other way around.

Viktor Gyokeres handed "big opportunity" in Arsenal vs. Leeds

© Iconsport / Bildbyran

Arsenal won the last two games last season by an aggregate scoreline of 9-0, they haven't lost to Leeds since 2003, but it's been a classic Arsenal international break with lots more injury concerns to contend with.

Five players pulled out of international duty: Tzolis, Dowman, Havertz, Ezri Konsa and Declan Rice. Arteta has got lots of dilemmas for this one.

On the right-hand side of the back line, that can be really tricky. Konsa, Ben White and Cristhian Mosquera were all out against Brighton.

It doesn't really seem like they're suffering from anything serious, same as Konsa. But if all three are out, what do you do there?

Jurrien Timber is still slowly getting back to full fitness, but I'm hopeful that Konsa will be able to take his place alongside Gabriel for this one.

Up top, most likely Eze on the left and Viktor Gyokeres up front. Gyokeres got his first two Arsenal goals in this exact fixture last season and did so well for Sweden internationally, scoring four goals in four Nations League games.

I'm hopeful, maybe not confident, that he can translate that international form onto the Premier League stage. He's been waiting for this chance.

Havertz has become the first-choice centre-forward, so it's a big opportunity for Gyokeres against the team he very much enjoyed playing last season.

I think they will respond with all three points, but it's certainly not going to be the 5-0 we saw last season.