Mikel Arteta has dream Viktor Gyokeres replacement at Arsenal after worrying injury update

Mikel Arteta will be sweating on the fitness of Viktor Gyokeres after the Arsenalstriker was forced off at half-time against Burnley on Saturday.

The 27-year-old scored the opener against Scott Parker's side at Turf Moor, with Declan Rice doubling the Gunners' lead later in the first half. It was Gyokeres' sixth goal for the north Londoners since making the £64million move from Sporting CP in the summer.

The Swede "felt something" during the interval, however, and he was taken off by Arteta in what is a fresh injury concern for the Premier League leaders. Asked to provide an update on why Gyokeres came off, Arteta told the media after the match: "Yeah, before that I think he was one of the best games he's played.

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"I think overall his performance was exceptional. A part of the goal, and we had to take him off because he was feeling a little niggle. So we'll have to wait and see."

Asked what was good about his performance, Arteta added: "Everything. His high press, his position and his touches. His threat in behind, the way he linked play, the way he gets us from these situations to transition moments. A lot. I think he was in a really good moment. It's a shame that he felt something."

On a day when Martin Zubimendi was also forced off with a muscular issue, Arteta will be hoping Gyokeres makes a speedy recovery and is not ruled out for a prolonged period. The Gunners are due to face Slavia Prague and Sunderland in the next week before the November international break.

Arteta revealed before the Burnley clash that Kai Havertz could make a return after the break, along with Martin Odegaard and Noni Madueke. Havertz underwent knee surgery at the end of August, after the opening day clash against Manchester United, but is now closing in on a return.

"I would say weeks, and some of them pretty soon, hopefully, if they keep evolving the way they are doing," Arteta said on the injured trio. "Difficult to put a game, you know, that we have the international break, which is a two-week break there. And after that, I think we'll have some back. I don't know if it's going to be all of them, some of them, but we'll be quite close by then."

He added: "Yeah, I'm excited because they are tremendous players. I see them work every single day, how desperate they are to be part of the team.

"The huge boost that is going to be for the squad to have and those players again, after such a long, long time, so really happy that I think it's going to be very soon."

If Havertz does return after the international break, he could make his return against Tottenham on November 23. The Gunners then face Bayern Munich three days later before travelling to Chelsea on November 30.

With the German close to making his comeback, it could come at the perfect time if Gyokeres' issue does prove to be serious. If not, then Arteta will soon have two strikers to choose from and that is only a good thing for the Spaniard.