The great battle between Arsenal and Liverpool is scheduled for private time in the mid-week round of the Premier League. Therefore, the level of attention is almost at its maximum.
At Emirates, there will be no "safe zone" for anyone. Every error is scrutinized, every contribution must be quantified by impacting the game. And the focus, as usual, is on Arsenal's summer blockbuster contract - Viktor Gyokeres.
The initial deal worth 55 million pounds to bring Gyokeres out of Sporting CP in July last year created a wave of great expectations. Arsenal publicly expressed a need to add a center forward, and ultimately the choice fell on Gyokeres instead of Benjamin Sesko of RB Leipzig - who then moved to Manchester United.
So does Gyokeres meet expectations? The answer so far is not complete. The summer when Arsenal fans competed to imitate his characteristic masked celebration, whenever there was an opportunity, seemed to have receded. Positive news for Mikel Arteta is that this has not created a significant impact on the overall picture. Arsenal is still leading both the Premier League and the Champions League.
However, skepticism is increasing. Some believe that Gyokeres is gradually becoming redundant because Arsenal has many other attacking options. Others view from a market perspective when the price of 55 million pounds, in the current context, is no longer a barrier if the club decides to add a center forward. At the peak of competition, a 55 million pound contract is sometimes only defaulted as a backup option.
Gyokeres is therefore in need of a moment of affirmation in the Premier League to extinguish doubt. In theory, this is a favorable time. He has the opportunity to face a Liverpool defense that is assessed as unstable, where just a momentary acceleration can open the scoring.
Gyokeres was goalless and criticized for his below-average performance in Arsenal's 0-1 defeat to Liverpool at the end of August last year. At that time, the result was seen as an affirmation of the number one position of the reigning Premier League champion. But the current context has reversed significantly.
Arsenal is now considered the strongest team in Europe. They entered the match with a gap of 14 points compared to Liverpool in the standings. The consolation for the Anfield home team is that at least one of the two "blockbuster" contracts in their attack has been effective.
With 10 goals in 25 matches for Liverpool, Hugo Ekitike quickly became a face loved by Merseyside fans. He leads the attack with softness in handling accompanied by sharpness at the decisive moment.
Joining Eintracht Frankfurt at the age of 23, Ekitike is a name enough for Liverpool to build an attacking future. And therefore, it is even more incomprehensible that Sesko is the Bundesliga striker who once fascinated Arsenal.
In the opposite direction, Alexander Isak has long been considered a target pursued by Arsenal, even placed next to legend Thierry Henry. However, Isak's start at Liverpool was worse than his compatriot Gyokeres at Arsenal.
This striker only had 3 goals in 16 matches before breaking his leg after his most recent away goal against Tottenham. However, Isak is two years younger than Gyokeres and has proven his class at the highest level. Even after a difficult season, surely there are still people at the Emirates who regret that Arsenal did not put all their strength into bringing Isak home.
In the context that Isak is being treated for an injury, and Ekitike is also not sure to play in time, Gyokeres is facing a clear opportunity to affirm the bravery of a world-class center forward in a match that is famous for its very small margin of errors.
