Get ready for some thrilling FPL action as Arsenal gears up for Double Gameweek 26! But first, let's dive into the key takeaways from their recent match against Sunderland.
Injury Concerns: Trossard's Status Uncertain
Arsenal dominated Sunderland with a 3-0 win, but the victory came at a potential cost. Towards the end of the game, Leandro Trossard, who had been a standout player, seemed to be struggling. He walked off the field unaided, leaving fans and managers alike worried.
Mikel Arteta remained tight-lipped about Trossard's fitness post-match, adding to the mystery. With Arsenal's next game scheduled for Thursday, there's a chance we won't get an update until after the Gameweek 26 deadline.
Our best hope for clarity? Perhaps some early-week training footage will give us a hint, but even then, it might just be a red herring.
Gyokeres' Rising Stock for Double Gameweek?
Declan Rice and Martin Zubimendi aside, one of the biggest concerns for Arsenal's midfielders and forwards is their unpredictable playing time during Double Gameweek. However, Viktor Gyokeres' xMins might have gotten a boost.
Coming off the bench against Sunderland, Gyokeres scored a brace in the second half. His goals were a result of great teamwork and game awareness. With six of his eight Premier League goals coming against newly promoted clubs, Gyokeres is expected to start over Gabriel Jesus on Thursday.
Mikel Arteta praised Gyokeres, saying, "Confidence is the magic word... When you feel important and at your best, you can take your game to the highest level."
A Trossard injury could mean more game time for Gabriel Martinelli, but he's been finishing games on the right flank recently. Noni Madueke, Saka's deputy, has been substituted early in the last three matches, so while he might start in Gameweek 26, it's not a guaranteed full 90 minutes.
Raya and Saliba: More Than Just Clean Sheets
There's been a lot of talk about David Raya and William Saliba's contributions beyond clean sheets. Ironically, they delivered some 'extras' on Saturday. Saliba, in a physical battle with Brian Brobbey, earned DefCon points for the first time since Gameweek 1. Raya, on the other hand, scored over six FPL points in a match for only the second time since the opening weekend.
Despite Raya's two saves and a rusty performance from Riccardo Calafiori at left-back, Arsenal's defense was solid, keeping the opposition's xG low.
Rice Breaks His Drought with DefCon Returns
Rice's four-match blank run finally ended with DefCon points. He was close to scoring with a shot from outside the area and also set up a chance for substitute Eberechi Eze. Zubimendi's goal came from a similar position, with both chances created by Trossard. While Rice's effort went just wide, Zubimendi's hit the post and went in.
Remarkably, Zubimendi, relatively unknown in FPL terms, is now Arsenal's joint-second-top league scorer in 2025/26! Despite creating, shooting, and contributing defensively less often than Rice, he's performing well for a £5.2m midfielder.
Sunderland's Away Woes
Sunderland put up a good fight against one of Europe's best teams, limiting Arsenal's clear-cut chances. It's their third straight away defeat, with three goals conceded in each. However, this loss was different from the previous ones at Brentford and West Ham United.
"The score is the same but it wasn't the same game," said Regis Le Bris.
Sunderland will now return to their unbeaten home turf in Gameweeks 26 and 27, looking to turn things around.
