Mikel Arteta’s High Standards Leave Two Arsenal Players Scrambling

Arteta didn’t hold back with Bruno Guimarães and Viktor Gyökeres after the messy win over Leeds on Saturday.

Arteta used the praise for Bruno Guimarães as a chance to raise the bar rather than celebrate.

After Guimarães came off the bench to help Arsenal grind out a win over Leeds on Saturday, the manager said players must perform at a high level in every game and every moment. He pointed out that Guimarães fell short at Brighton, where Arsenal lost 3-0 before the international break, and said he was much better against Leeds but can still improve. Arteta added that he demands the same of himself, and that holding everyone to this standard will make the team better.

Viktor Gyökeres got a pointer of a different kind. He came on alongside Guimarães for Kai Havertz but made little impact, and even after getting past Leeds keeper James Trafford, he stepped on the ball instead of scoring into an empty net. His appearances in the league have been brief so far, and he admitted his frustration during the international break. Arteta promised he would get minutes, possibly starting with Tuesday’s Champions League game against Lille, but said the way to earn more is to show his quality when he’s on the pitch.

When asked whether Gyökeres’s goals for Sweden deserved more recognition at club level, Arteta didn’t buy it. He noted that Mikel Merino has scored twice for his national team and is also seen as deserving of a place, but that Martin Ødegaard has been excellent. In his view, players simply have to prove themselves when given the chance.