Arsenal striker Viktor Gyokeres has come under criticism so far this season.placeholder image
Arsenal striker Viktor Gyokeres has come under criticism so far this season. | AFP via Getty Images
Gabriel Jesus has praised one of his Arsenal team-mates in a recent interview
Premier League leaders Arsenal are in pole position to put an end to their six-year trophy drought this season and bring silverware back to the Emirates.
Mikel Arteta’s side spent over £250million last summer in an attempt to turn the needle and get themselves over the line after three successive second-placed finishes in the league. Their summer window was by all accounts a resounding success and has left the north London outfit with two top players in almost every position.
If two issues remains for Arsenal, they are that they rely too heavily on goals from set pieces and have not seen their strikers score enough this term, with summer signing Viktor Gyokeres frequently coming under the microscope for his inconsistent start to life in the Premier League.
Gyokeres has had a challenging start to life at Arsenal
Gyokeres signed for £64m from Sporting CP in July and was billed as the big-money striker signing who could prove the difference for the Gunners this term.
The Swede has scored just five goals in 20 league appearances and eight in all competitions but has bagged a brace twice against Leeds United and Atletico Madrid, meaning he has only scored in six separate matches this season. That is a stark contrast from the 54 goals in 52 appearances he registered in his final season with Sporting.
Various reasons have been speculated as to why Gyokeres has struggled to rediscover his form in Portugal. From a lack of service to difficulties adapting to the league and even question marks over whether he is suited to the Gunners’ style of play, there is still time for things to come good for Gyokeres at Arsenal but he will know that he is expected to make a difference in the crucial title run-in.
‘Amazing player’ - Gabriel Jesus praises Gyokeres
Following the recent return to fitness of Arsenal forward duo Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz, there is now more pressure on Gyokeres to perform or find himself out of the side. In a recent interview, though, Jesus showed his support of Gyokeres and suggested that everyone wants to help him achieve at the Emirates.
“I have been in the position that Vik is now, and that is not easy. But I'm sure that everyone here, not only the coach and staff, the players as well, are going to support him and give him the belief that he's here to help us. He has helped already a lot. And every game he has helped with something [aside from] sometimes not scoring, but he helped with another movement or fighting to win the game.
“Then also Kai is an amazing player, amazing striker. I just find myself that I'm so happy that I come back. I had the toughest injury in my life, 11 months. And then just to come back the way I come back, I'm so glad.
"In a club like Arsenal, big like this, there is no guaranteeing a spot to anyone. So we're all here to help Arsenal to try to win games and at the end of the season win trophies."
Continue Reading