In the aftermath of Arsenal's 1-1 draw with Chelsea, a question began to surface: For big games, should Mikel Arteta start Mikel Merino or Viktor Gyökeres?
It's been a middling start to life at the Emirates Stadium for Gyökeres, who joined Arsenal in a deal worth €63 million ($74m) plus €10m ($11.7m).
The Sweden international has four goals in 11 appearances in the Premier League this season -- those goals came against relegation battlers Leeds United, Nottingham Forest and Burnley.
Meanwhile, Merino has shown an ability to step up when called upon. The central midfielder has filled in up front when Arsenal's injuries have demanded him to -- that includes the past few weeks when Merino playing understudy with Gyökeres out with a muscle injury.
It is a strategy that has worked. Merino scored a second-half header against Chelsea to equalise. That came after he registered assists against Tottenham and Sunderland in their previous two games, too.
So, who should Arteta rely upon in big games? Here's what the stats say.
The argument for Mikel Merino
Although Merino has scored fewer goals in all competitions than Gyökeres this season, the stats show he is putting his chances away more effectively -- hence a surplus of goals relative to expected goals.
As a central midfielder by trade, Merino distributes the ball more freely, with WhoScored tallying his average passes attempted per Premier League game at 16.9 compared to Gyökeres' 9.9.
Capable of playing deeper in midfield, Merino has been operating as a false nine and impacting games from deep in ways that may not always show up on the stats sheet.
A clear example against Chelsea came before half-time, as he dropped back to receive the ball and drew a foul from Moisés Caicedo that led to the Ecuador midfielder being sent off and changing the complexion of the game.
"Merino has become a really integral player for Arsenal," ex-Arsenal winger Theo Walcott told Sky Sports after the game.
"It surprised me, because I didn't see him as that player. When he came to the club, I saw him as a player who'd be controlling in a deeper role.
"It's like Mikel [Arteta] has done with Kai Havertz, developing him into a different player. He's done the same here."
A case for Merino is also simply how quiet Gyökeres has been at times this season - including on Sunday, when he came off the bench on 72 minutes with Arsenal chasing a winner, only to have three touches on the ball.
"I think [Merino] is more trusted in the big games," Walcott added. "You know what you're going to get. He has got so much more experience in these games.
"I think Gyökeres will be more of an impact player in the big games.
"I think [Arteta] trusts Merino more. Gyökeres, it will do him good to watch, he will learn a lot from what Merino does, and can change his game a bit."
The arguement for Viktor Gyökeres
Gyökeres, it must be said, still has a strong case to start.
Proponents of Gyökeres will point to his goalscoring record -- he is the team's joint-top scorer (six) across all competitions alongside Bukayo Saka -- and argue that if he misses more chances than Merino, that could simply be proof that the natural forward is better at getting in position to capitalise.
"I don't [agree]. They've been crying out for a striker," Daniel Sturridge, who played for Manchester City, Chelsea and Liverpool, said in response to Walcott.
Arteta has repeatedly defended Gyökeres amidst scrutiny over his goal record at Arsenal so far, with criticism louder after quiet displays against other top six sides.
"Well, there were a lot of situations where the chances were there and then especially the final pass was missing," Arteta insisted after the 1-1 draw with City in September.
"There were a lot of very good balls in the box, especially I remember three of them that he was very, very close to doing it against City."
Still, with Havertz and Gabriel Jesus having both been out injured, Gyökeres remains the side's only natural forward.
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"Merino brings stability, almost an extra defensive body as a false nine. But you need to have [Gyökeres] on the pitch when he's fit and firing," Sturridge said.
"You need big hitters out there, and Gyökeres was bought to provide goals in big moments. This is the best squad they've had since the Invincibles."