Viktor Gyokeres gets a short run out as Arsenal are beaten by rivals Tottenham Hotspur.
Sign up to our LondonWorld Today newsletter
Sign up
Thank you for signing up!
Did you know with an ad-lite subscription to LondonWorld, you get 70% fewer ads while viewing the news that matters to you.
Submitting...
Arsenal fell to a 1-0 defeat in a north London derby clash with Tottenham Hotspur during pre-season, nearly 6,000 miles away from the big smoke. Viktor Gyokeres was handed his first minutes for the Gunners but there was little to be too excited about from the tame meeting.
It was a first half Pape Matar Sarr goal that separated the two sides. The midfielder pinched the ball from the toes of Myles Lewis-Skelly and fired home over the head of David Raya from distance.
There were shouts for a foul and VAR may have overturned that strike but Mikel Arteta’s side did little to really deserve to win the game in Hong Kong. Here’s how the Arsenal players rated.
Arsenal player ratings
GK: David Raya, 5
Known for taking a risk when playing out from the back and paid the price for that, putting Lewis-Skelly in an unenviable position ahead of the Sarr goal, even if there are strong shouts that VAR would have overruled that for a foul. A couple hair-raising moments from corners that threatened to squirm past him too.
LB: Myles Lewis-Skelly, 7
One of the players with the biggest impact on the game today. It looks as if the 18-year-old is going to be given more and more license to come inside and roam through midfield. That was an asset at times against Spurs, but can also leave the Gunners susceptible to the break.
CB: William Saliba, 8
Looked confident. It’s important that Arsenal tie him down to that new contract and end Real Madrid interest. Charged forwards from centre-back at times and showed the vision to find some nice attacking passes.
CB: Jakub Kiwior, 7
Pretty quiet outing at centre-back alongside Saliba. In contrast to the Frenchman, his more ambitious passing sometimes lacked accuracy.
RB: Ben White, 8
A bit of a slow start to the game but grew and grew as the game went on. Once he had settled, felt more comfortable getting past Saka and on the overlap, where he was dangerous. Intervened well when having to back track too.
CM: Martin Odegaard, 7
The player who started the fixture the brightest. Plenty of zip in midfield as he went about his box-to-box work. Did fade slightly as the fixture went on.
CM: Declan Rice, 6
Not quite his usual self. This match was a slow-starter and the type of game that Rice could have gripped by the scruff of the neck. Still busy in the centre of the park.
CM: Christian Norgaard, 7
Looks comfortable in an Arsenal shirt already. That could be a very clever, simple signing from Mikel Arteta and Andrea Berta. Provides another aerial threat from set plays too.
LW: Gabriel Martinelli, 7
Got himself into some dangerous positions. Arsenal looked to him to get on the end of long balls with Kai Havertz dropping short. Prodded one over with his toe in the second half but never really looked close to going in.
ST: Kai Havertz, 6
The feel was that Havertz was playing somewhat of a placeholder role waiting for Gyokeres to be introduced. His best work came when dropping back slightly to allow wingers to move inside and when laying off the ball for Martinelli’s chance that was prodded over.
RW: Bukayo Saka, 7
Plenty of hustle and bustle but not quite his usual threat. Spurs players often resulted to simply clattering into the England international with his pace posing a threat. Some nice link-up play with White on that flank.
Viktor Gyokeres handed first Arsenal minutes
SUB: Leandro Trossard, N/A
Hobbled off shortly after coming on with an injury worry.
SUB: Martin Zubimendi, 8
Made an immediate impact. The new signing’s first touch was to control and then fire a dangerous dropping volley towards the Tottenham Hotspur goal. Will surely start more matches than he finds himself on the bench for.
SUB: Viktor Gyokeres, 7
A shame not to see the Sweden international handed more minutes, but there’s plenty of time for that. Immediately charged after corner kicks and went on to exhibit some nice hold up play. Arsenal look better with an out-and-out striker up top.
SUB: Max Dowman, 8
There’s no need to be getting ahead of ourselves with the 15-year-old, but his impact when brought on was clear to see. His first action was to leather a volley towards the goal following an Arsenal corner, which hit a wall of Spurs players. Happy to take his time with the ball and looked like the man to make something happen late on. An exciting talent.
SUB: Cristhian Mosquera, 8
Arsenal fans didn’t get to see too much of the promising 21-year-old but he looked to speed up proceedings when receiving the ball with Arsenal 1-0 down. Got his head to a late corner but unable to get a clear flick-on.
SUB: Reiss Nelson, N/A
SUB: Mikel Merino, N/A
In other news, Arsenal sent asking price for next transfer target as rivals consider midfielder bid.