A striker Mikel Arteta had long coveted moved in the summer and scored in north London on Saturday in stylish fashion. Not for Arsenal, admittedly, and not on a day when Arsenal needed to rue the one who got away as his price got too big: Alexander Isak was injured a fraction of a second after unleashing the shot that nestled in the Tottenham net. The £125m man has just two league goals and faces another spell on the sidelines.
About 90 minutes later, Arteta’s summer striking signing struck. Viktor Gyokeres, at £54m, came at less than half Isak’s fee and yet still looks overpriced. He has six Premier League goals, three times as many as Isak, but two were spot kicks and each may prove to be against a bottom-half finisher. Against Everton, he powered in his penalty but otherwise laboured and lumbered; there was no lack of effort but a distinct lack of class. The transfer window online obsession with the Swede feels ever more misplaced.
