Arsenal
Tomasson Rejects Claims Gyökeres Lacks Impact as Arsenal Team-Mates Offer Support
Tomasson rejects criticism of Arsenal striker’s impact; Saka and the squad express confidence in him.
Sweden manager Jon Dahl Tomasson has responded forcefully to criticism of Viktor Gyökeres’s influence at Arsenal, arguing that those assessments miss the striker’s broader contribution. Gyökeres already has three Premier League goals to his name but is currently without a goal in six appearances. Some observers have highlighted that apparent goal drought when discussing his overall impact.
Tomasson would not entertain that view. “Viktor Gyökeres is in very good form at the moment and is very good,” Tomasson said. “If people say he doesn’t have an impact, then they don’t understand football and don’t have a clue about football.
“He creates space for other players, works on the ball and makes runs. It’s excellent and he scores goals almost all the time, so he has an impact and has been very good. It’s always nice, as you need time when you come to a new club.”
Those comments came after Arsenal’s 2–0 victory over West Ham United, a match in which Declan Rice opened the scoring and Bukayo Saka sealed the result from the penalty spot. Saka’s decision to take the penalty, rather than hand it to Gyökeres, drew attention and prompted questions about roles inside the squad.
Insisting any talks over who would be Arsenal’s primary penalty taker would remain “in house”, Saka moved to underline that there is no issue within the dressing room over Gyökeres’s involvement. “I think Viktor’s playing really, really well,” Saka concluded. “There’s no doubt he’s going to score goals. What he’s bringing to this team, us as his teammates, we’re so grateful for what he does, how he holds the ball, how he makes the runs, the threat he gives us.
“He’s a big part of the reason why we’re winning these games. His goals will come. We know that, we believe that and we believe in him. I don’t think there’s any doubts. He’s still up, he’s still happy and he’s still giving his best every game.”
For Tomasson and Saka alike, the emphasis is on Gyökeres’s team contributions as well as the expectation that his scoring return will follow.
Arsenal
Gameweek 10 Premier League predictions as Arsenal, Man Utd and Chelsea headline
Arsenal, United and Chelsea lead a tight Gameweek 10 set of Premier League predictions.
Gameweek 10 arrives with another international break looming, and Sunday’s late meeting between Manchester United and Aston Villa stands out as the pick of the round. Arsenal are back at Emirates Stadium after a fortnight away, while Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur all face testing trips on the road.
Everton vs Coventry may not light up the weekend, but it still carries weight for both sides. Everton are aiming to move above Liverpool, even if only briefly, while Coventry arrive in decent form and have won three of their last five Premier League matches. A first meeting between the clubs in nearly 26 years adds an extra layer.
Tottenham’s recent surge is harder to ignore. Three straight wins, including their result at Stamford Bridge, have changed the mood around them, and their attacking play is beginning to settle. Leeds, though, are unbeaten in four home matches and may be well placed to frustrate them.
Arsenal look well equipped to handle Hull, who have already caused problems for Man Utd and Chelsea on their return to the division. The champions are again top of the table and appear to have steadied themselves after their Carabao Cup disappointment and recent Europa and league successes.
Fulham and Newcastle both come into their meeting under new managers and both have obvious issues to solve, particularly in attack and in recent form. Nottingham Forest, meanwhile, face a difficult evening against a City side seeking a response after back-to-back defeats.
Brighton’s consistency continues to impress after their win at Man City, and Brentford’s draw-heavy record makes them awkward opposition. Liverpool also need a lift after successive defeats, but Crystal Palace’s struggles suggest the visitors should edge it.
Elsewhere, Bournemouth’s strong run points towards another victory at Ipswich, while Chelsea should have enough to beat Sunderland despite the hosts’ historical success in this fixture. The round closes with Manchester United and Aston Villa, where a draw would do little to ease the pressure on the Red Devils.
Arsenal
Arteta’s Konsa concern eases Arsenal wait ahead of Hull City
Arteta has confirmed Ezri Konsa had issues against Slavia Prague, with tests due before Hull City.
Mikel Arteta has admitted Ezri Konsa is carrying an issue after Arsenal’s 2-1 win over Slavia Prague, leaving the defender’s availability in doubt ahead of the meeting with Hull City on Saturday.
The Arsenal manager did not offer a reassuring update after the final whistle, saying the summer signing was withdrawn because of a problem and because of the heavy load he has been asked to manage in recent weeks.
“He is obviously playing a lot. He’s played so many games in the last few weeks,” Arteta said of Konsa.
“He had some issues and we decided to take him off.”
Konsa is now set to undergo further checks before Arsenal face Hull City, and any sign of a genuine injury would likely lead to a cautious approach from Arteta. With the November international break approaching, the club may have some breathing space if recovery is required.
The defender has already passed the 1,000-minute mark in all competitions during his debut Arsenal campaign, having featured in all but two of the team’s matches in 2026-27. Those two absences came in August, before his move from Aston Villa was completed.
His impact has been immediate, with Konsa emerging as Arsenal’s strongest summer addition and one of the standout new arrivals in the Premier League. He has filled the role left by William Saliba without disrupting the team’s rhythm.
If Arsenal do need to manage his minutes, Mosquera is available to step in alongside Gabriel, while Saliba is also back in contention after missing the start of the season with a back injury. The French defender travelled to Czechia and was an unused substitute, though a recall straight into the XI may be considered too soon.
Declan Rice also remains central to the discussion around Arsenal’s workload. He again influenced the win in midweek, but his minutes have been watched closely after a demanding run that included last season, the 2026 World Cup and the current campaign.
Arteta brushed aside concerns when asked about Rice completing the full 90 minutes. “The game required it, and he did,” he said. “He was as well rested against Fleetwood so he had a very good week to recover before Liverpool.
“It’s his second game in a week and not the fifth one. We expect our players to be able to do that and I think he had some very good moments throughout the game.”
Arsenal
October Premier League award nominees announced
Premier League October award nominees include standout performers and managers across the division.
The Premier League has named the contenders for its October 2026 Player and Manager of the Month awards, with eight players and six managers included on the respective shortlists.
Bournemouth forward Evanilson enjoyed a productive month, finishing October with four goals and one assist from four appearances as his team beat Sunderland, Manchester United and Leeds United after a slow opening to the season.
Aston Villa striker Nicolas Jackson also reached four goals in the month. The former Chelsea player scored twice in the 2-1 win over Manchester City and also found the net in draws against Brentford and Fulham.
Arsenal are represented by Ezri Konsa and Declan Rice after a perfect month. Konsa impressed in defence while William Saliba was absent, keeping two clean sheets in three outings and scoring his first goal for the club. Rice contributed two important assists at the other end.
Jack Rudoni’s form has helped Coventry City. The newly promoted side took two wins from four matches in October, with Rudoni scoring three times as they moved further away from the relegation zone.
Tottenham Hotspur also had an unbeaten month, and Jan Paul van Hecke played a key role in wins over Coventry, Chelsea and Crystal Palace. No player attempted or completed more passes than the Dutch defender last month.
Brighton have two nominees in Luka Vušković and Bart Verbruggen. Three clean sheets in four matches brought recognition for the Seagulls’ defence.
On the managerial shortlist, Chelsea scored more goals than any other team in October with nine, while Arsenal’s Mikel Arteta guided his side to the top of the table. Roberto De Zerbi, Unai Emery, Fabian Hürzeler and Marco Rose complete the list after strong runs during the month.
Month
Player
Club
August
João Pedro
Chelsea
September
Pascal Groß
Brighton
Month
Manager
Club
August
Sergej Jakirović
Hull
September
