In the relentless theater of professional football, the spoils often go to the player who can make the most significant impact, and right now, all eyes are on Viktor, Arsenal's £64 million striker. His arrival in North London has sparked immense excitement, and his performance suggests he might just be the key to unlocking the Gunners' trophy drought. The weight of expectation is immense, but early signs are undeniably promising.

For Arsenal, the path back to silverware has been a challenging one. Since their FA Cup victory against Chelsea in 2020, a glaring issue has been their inability to consistently find the back of the net. That FA Cup win was a high point, but the team needs to replicate that success in other competitions.

The last Arsenal player to breach the coveted 20-league-goals-a-season mark was Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, coincidentally also in that same 2020 season. This highlights the need for a consistent goal-scoring threat.

Five years without a trophy is an eternity for a club of Arsenal's stature and ambition. The Gunners are used to challenging for top honors, and this barren spell has been difficult for fans and the club as a whole.

Enter Viktor Gyokeres. He has begun his Arsenal career with a clear intention of changing the narrative, already bagging three goals in his first four Premier League appearances. This is a strong signal to the rest of the league and the fans.

To 'hit the ground running' is an understatement when describing Gyokeres' impact. He has immediately integrated into the team and showcased his goal-scoring prowess.

The only player who might arguably overshadow his immediate impact is Erling Haaland, the Manchester City goal machine. Their upcoming head-to-head clash promises to be a Premier League spectacle.

While Haaland is undeniably in formidable form, having already scored 12 goals in seven games across all competitions, the cohesiveness of the City squad is still a work in progress. Haaland's individual brilliance is undeniable, but a strong team is needed around him to mount a serious title challenge.

City's recent 3-0 victory over Manchester United, while convincing, might not be a true reflection of their capabilities, considering the lackluster resistance put up by their opponents. Some analysts suggest that the game didn't represent City's true level.

Coral's John Hill aptly summarized the sentiment: "United were poor; I thought it was a poor Manchester derby. So I am still not convinced about City." This shows how analysts are looking at more than the score of one game to determine a team's strength.

"As for tomorrow, with home advantage, I’m very keen on Arsenal. I expect them to put down a marker for the title with a big performance here," Hill continued, highlighting Arsenal's potential to make a statement.

He further added, "They are a shade of odds-on at 19-20. City usually have a goal in them, so I’d lean towards Arsenal winning and both teams to score." It shows how both teams have the potential to score in a high-stakes game.

Last season, Arsenal triumphed over City 5-1, extending their unbeaten run against Pep Guardiola's side to five games. This historical precedent adds another layer of intrigue to their upcoming encounter.

Coral and Betfred are offering the best price at 19-20 on Arsenal, while BetMGM has City at 3-1. These are just some of the competitive odds that bettors are looking into as they make their decisions.

bet365 offers a best-priced 29-10 on a draw, a result that has occurred in three of the last five meetings between the two teams. This shows how close these two teams have been historically.

William Hill's Lee Phelps is taking a contrarian view, stating, "Arsenal’s ever-growing strength is reflected in their status as favorites." It goes to show how odds makers see Arsenal as the more likely team to win.

"That said, it’s rare to get a price as attractive as 9-2 about a City win and Haaland to score anytime, so that could just be the value this weekend," he added, highlighting a potentially lucrative betting opportunity for those who believe in City's chances.

A key factor to consider is that City played a challenging game against Napoli on Thursday night, while Arsenal had a two-day rest advantage. This could have implications later in the game, especially in the second half when players are likely to be more fatigued.

Moreover, Arsenal boasts a stronger and deeper squad under Mikel Arteta, a significant upgrade from the teams that finished as runners-up in previous seasons. Arsenal has worked hard to get their squad depth to where it needs to be.

Therefore, the prediction leans towards an Arsenal victory with both teams scoring, offered at a best-priced 11-4 with Sky Bet and bet365. This also takes into account that the likelihood of both teams scoring could create a high-scoring game.

There's a strong feeling that Arsenal might pull away from a tiring City side late in the game, making the 3-1 scoreline at 16-1 with bet365 a tempting prospect. With the likelihood of City starting to tire late in the game, this is a big opportunity.

Sporting Index is offering a boosted 10-1 that both Haaland and Gyokeres score, and Arsenal wins. This adds even more excitement to the game, as it factors in two of the top goal scorers this season.