Gyokeres and Sesko, Strikers Swapped at Old Trafford

MANCHESTER, SATURDAY — An absurd reality was presented in the opening week match of the English League between Manchester United and Arsenal. The uniforms of both teams' forwards, Benjamin Sesko and Viktor Gyokeres, seemed to have been swapped when reflecting on each team's ideal transfer plans.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has been eyeing Sesko since last summer. Meanwhile, MU coach Ruben Amorim had intended to reunite with his former protégé at Sporting CP, Gyokeres. However, fate had other plans following the dramatic storm during this summer's transfer window.

At the home of MU, Old Trafford Stadium, on Sunday (17/8/2025) at 22:30 WIB, Gyokeres will arrive in Arsenal's uniform. He challenges his former coach in an official debut with "The Gunners." On the other hand, Arteta must think of ways to stop his coveted striker.

Gyokeres and Sesko are the main highlights in the classic match between the teams with a history of fierce rivalry. Not only because they are experiencing a change in fortunes, but they are also burdened with high expectations to alter the fate of their respective teams.

Arsenal, after finishing runners-up in the league for three consecutive seasons, finally has a world-class center-forward. Gyokeres has been Europe's hottest goal machine for the past two seasons. "We're delighted to have him. He'll be a huge influence on the team," said Arteta.

I think he has great potential for anything he does. He can play in a variety of schemes.

MU no longer needs to make the striker position a "scapegoat" for their decline, as was done with Rasmus Hojlund last season. They now have Sesko, who comes from RB Leipzig with the status of being one of the most promising young forwards in Europe.

"I think he has great potential for whatever he does. He can play in various schemes. Of course, he needs time to acclimate to the highly aggressive Premier League, but I believe in his potential. Ben will be a striker for MU for a long time," said Amorim.

The most interesting aspect of the story of the "swapped strikers" is the change in plans of each coach. Amorim and Arteta were forced to adjust their tactics, particularly in the attacking scheme. Gyokeres and Sesko represent different types of forwards.

Not without reason, Arteta has coveted Sesko for the past year. The 195-centimeter tall striker with explosive jumping ability is very suitable for Arsenal. "The Gunners" need a towering figure in the penalty area to capitalize on crosses and set pieces.

Unlike Gyokeres, the 27-year-old player is known as a specialist in counter-attack transition situations. With a robust physique and quick pace, he often punishes opponents in one-on-one situations. This aligns perfectly with Amorim's idea at MU, which prioritizes rapid attacks.

As a result, Arsenal and Manchester United are compelled to refresh their attacking dimensions. Arsenal has already demonstrated a more straightforward offensive scheme with vertical passes during the preseason. Typically, they tend to be verbose when in possession of the ball, following a pattern referred to as "horseshoe."

Sesko's arrival was somewhat delayed. He has not yet participated in the preseason matches with the "Red Devils." Nevertheless, Amorim will certainly take advantage of the physical superiority of the 22-year-old striker in aerial duels. Sesko has managed to score eight headed goals in the last two seasons.

In Amorim's first season with the Red Devils, last season, United relied less on aerial duels in the opposition penalty area. This is evident in FBref data. Their crosses were among the ten lowest in the league, with just 630. Arsenal's tally was 766.

The change in the offensive system was not previously planned by either team, but it could have a positive impact. A success story was experienced by Manchester City with the arrival of Erling Haaland. City became increasingly successful even though the type of striker changed from a "false nine" to a "pure striker."

Adaptation will be a key note in the debut performances of Gyokeres and Sesko. Gyokeres has only started twice during the preseason as he just joined Arsenal at the end of July. Meanwhile, Sesko's last match was when he was still representing Leipzig at the end of last season.

Despite the limited preparation of the newly inaugurated Sesko last week, Amorim is not worried about playing the young star from the start of the match. "We do not have much time, but he is ready. First and foremost, he is physically prepared. That is the most important thing in this league," explained Amorim.

In addition to being at the forefront, Old Trafford will also serve as a "beauty contest" for other new players from both teams. MU has two other forwards, namely Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha. Arsenal has Spanish national team midfielder Martin Zubimendi.

The match is highly anticipated. As is known, Amorim has always been able to challenge Arteta's team last season, despite being considered the "dark horse." The changes in the tactics of both teams could either benefit the home team or the opposite. Everything remains uncertain. (AP/REUTERS)