Arsenal news: Gary Lineker hits nail on the head as Max Dowman sends Mikel Arteta message

Arsenal are heading into the international break as Premier League leaders with Bukayo Saka now back in the first team and amongst the goals

Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal top the Premier League with the international break upon us. The Gunners put West Ham to the sword 2-0 in their last clash.

The Emirates Stadium crowd were glad to see the talismanic Bukayo Saka back among the goals when he converted from the spot against the Hammers on Saturday. Saka had been out injured after suffering a hamstring injury at the start of the campaign, but his side now leads the top-flight on 16 points, one ahead of Liverpool.

Arteta’s men cruised to a 2-0 win thanks to Saka’s penalty, following Declan Rice’s opener, and a fellow English talent in Max Dowman has sent the manager a message with his under-21s performance. Gary Lineker has also had his say on Viktor Gyokeres’ north London beginnings as Mirror Football brings you all the latest Arsenal news.

Gary Lineker praises Viktor Gyokeres

Swedish striker Gyokeres has bagged three goals for the Gunners since making a £64million switch from Sporting CP this summer. Yet many have been critical of the 27-year-old’s play.

England icon Lineker believes that Gyokeres gives Arteta’s side something different, though. He said on The Rest Is Football podcast: “I think that even though he’s not banged loads of goals in yet, but he’s got his fair share, Gyokeres, I think he gives them something different.

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“He gives them a threat behind, which creates more space for the midfield and even the wide players, and he’s aggressive with his running and he likes to spin and he attacks the space in the box.

“The goals will come for him because with the service that I think he’ll inevitably get, particularly now Saka is back in the mix and looks like his old self after his injury. So I think it’s quite promising for Arsenal, I think we might be in this season for a really good title race.”

Dowman sends Arteta a message in under-21 outing

Max Dowman made his debut for Arsenal against Leeds United earlier this season and looks to be the next budding talent that emerges from north London.

He was not part of the squad that faced West Ham on Saturday, as he was instead in action for Arsenal’s under-21 side as they played their own clash against the Hammers. This match ended 2-2.

The 15-year-old was on the scoresheet once again and he perhaps showed Arteta he is more than up to first-team duties with a brilliant individual goal. Dowman picked up the ball in the opposition half and shifted it brilliantly from his left foot to his right before tucking away a strike from outside the box.

Once the international break concludes, Arteta may think twice about leaving the teenage sensation out of his senior team as they take on Fulham at Craven Cottage.

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