Arsenal latest: Viktor Gyokeres concerns as Mikel Arteta's January transfer plan emerges

football.london takes a look at two of the latest talking points from N5 as Arsenal prepare to take on Aston Villa at the Emirates Stadium

Arsenal return to Premier League action on Tuesday evening, where they will host Aston Villa in a crucial fixture at the Emirates Stadium.

Unai Emery's Villa side dented Arsenal's title aspirations earlier this month with a dramatic late winner at Villa Park. Since that setback, the Gunners have secured victories against Wolves, Everton, and Brighton in the league, though each win came by a mere single-goal margin despite their dominant performances.

The squandering of opportunities in front of goal has become an increasingly concerning issue for Mikel Arteta, who knows his players must be more ruthless to claim all three points against an in-form Villa side.

The north Londoners currently sit atop both the Premier League and Champions League tables, with the upcoming January transfer window offering an ideal chance to strengthen an injury-plagued squad. Football.london now examines two of the latest developments surrounding the Gunners.

Arteta reveals transfer strategy

Mikel Arteta admits Arsenal's ongoing injury problems might force the club into making signings during the January transfer window. The Spanish manager was asked during his press conference this week about whether the club would pursue defensive reinforcements in January, considering their extensive injury list.

He claimed the Gunners will remain prepared and actively looking to sign players depending on their needs in the new year. "I don’t know. We're going to be really aware of the situation and the timescale of certain players," Arteta said.

"We’re Arsenal and we have to be actively looking, ‘Okay, what do we need?’ and then can we do it or not? That's a different story. But our job is to be always very prepared because something can happen, so hopefully [it can be] very positive." The Gunners have recently been linked with AC Milan's promising left-back Davide Bartesaghi and Juventus talisman Kenan Yildiz.

Concerns over Gyokeres

Arteta also expressed his worries over Viktor Gyokeres' goal drought. The £64million summer signing failed to find the net once again in the weekend clash against his old club Brighton.

Gyokeres squandered an early opportunity to break the deadlock and his overall movement in the box left much to be desired, before being substituted for Gabriel Jesus, who delivered a more impressive display.

Despite converting a penalty against Everton earlier this month, Gyokeres has only managed to notch five Premier League goals this season. His goalless run from open play extended to seven matches with the Brighton game, a fact that Arteta acknowledged as a concern.

Arteta said: "Yeah [it is concerning] because we want him to score. Obviously, he had a few chances today, a few great positions and the ball didn't arrive, so... Keep insisting, it's the only way."