Man City striker Erling Haaland “could ultimately be the difference” in the title race, as he is levels above Arsenal’s Viktor Gyokeres, says Captain Obvious Gary Lineker.
Haaland scored his 18th and 19th Premier League goals this season to help Man City beat West Ham 3-0 on Saturday.
The victory put Pep Guardiola’s side top of the table for a few hours, before Arsenal reclaimed first with a 1-0 win at Everton in the 8pm kick-off.
Erling Haaland vs Viktor Gyokeres in 25/26 PL
Goals: Haaland 19 – 5 Gyokeres
Goals per 90: 1.17 – 0.44
Matches scored in: 12 – 4
Expected (non-penalty) goals: 14.8 – 3.9
Touches in opposition box per 90: 6.60 – 6.28
We love you, Gary, but it’s painfully obvious how much better Haaland is than Gyokeres. Stating that he could be what wins City the title over Arsenal is also very clear.
Here is what the former Match of the Day host said on The Rest is Football podcast:
“Erling Haaland has already got 19 goals in the Premier League and he scored a bucketload for Norway in the [2026 World Cup] qualifying games.
“It’s incredible what he’s doing. I mean, he could ultimately be the difference between Man City and Arsenal this season.
“Viktor Gyokeres has come in and I look at him and I don’t want to be rude but he’s not in the same league as Haaland.
“He was given the penalty against Everton to try and get him scoring again after his recent injury and it was good to see him step up.
“I think we’re looking at Arsenal and Man City now (in the title race).
“Liverpool are probably too far back, Chelsea too. Both Arsenal and Man City are well clear of those two which means they won’t be able to make that up.
“I think Man City are much closer to where they were, I still think they might be vulnerable at the back and on the counter.
“Rodri coming back will be a big boost as well but he’s been out for a long time now, I hope he’s okay because you worry a bit for players after big injuries.”
MORE ON HAALAND ON F365
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What Arsenal have over City in the title race
Only two points separate Arsenal and Man City at the top, with Aston Villa’s seven-match winning run putting them in touching distance.
It’s shaping up to be a title race that goes down to the wire. Villa are being overlooked despite their tremendous form, as everyone expects it to be between Arsenal and City for the third time in four seasons.
The Gunners now have better squad depth than ever, and it would take an injury crisis to derail them. In previous seasons, losing Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Magalhaes or Martin Odegaard would have been damaging, but Mikel Arteta’s summer recruitment has meant they’ve coped without three key players already this term.
One individual Arteta would struggle to replace is Declan Rice, but let’s not tempt fate…
Man City collapsed after Rodri suffered an ACL injury last term but have adapted in his absence this year, though an injury to Haaland could have a similar effect. Thankfully, City’s teammates have stepped up in recent weeks, particularly Phil Foden, who has six goals and one assist in his last five Premier League appearances.
Until Foden’s brace against Leeds United on November 29, City’s second-top scorer behind Haaland was Burnley defender Maxime Esteve, who scored two own goals at the Etihad in September.
Gyokeres not on same level as Mbappe, Kane, Haaland
Haaland is currently on course for a 40-goal league campaign and has recently joined the Premier League 100 Club in record time.
Gyokeres, meanwhile, has struggled for goals since joining Arsenal from Sporting CP for £64million last summer. Two of his five league goals have been penalties, including Saturday’s match-winner against Everton.
The Swede isn’t receiving the best service from Odegaard, Saka, Ebere Eze and Arsenal’s other playmakers, but it’s also on him to find himself in irresistible positions and capitalise on loose balls and rebounds, which Haaland does better than anyone.
Saliba knows how to feed Gyokeres more than Odegaard 😭pic.twitter.com/PwIcyV2R4p
— Forever Arsenal (@ArsenalN10) December 20, 2025
There’s no doubt Haaland and Gyokeres occupy different stratospheres. We knew that before the latter joined Arsenal, even after he scored 97 goals in 102 matches for Sporting.
In truth, Harry Kane and Kylian Mbappe are the only strikers on Haaland’s level.
It’s no slight on Gyokeres to say that Haaland is in a different league, despite how obvious it is.
We would happily go on record: any City success this season will come down to Haaland’s goals. Arsenal can only dream of Gyokeres having a similar impact, and that was always going to be the case, no matter who they signed in the summer. Unless it was somehow Kane or Mbappe.
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