Viktor Gyokeres has been receiving a fair amount of stick recently, but Alan Shearer has just made a fascinating prediction about his form at Arsenal.
The 27-year-old played 89 minutes in the Gunners’ crucial 1-0 win over Fulham at Craven Cottage, which saw Mikel Arteta’s team move back top of the Premier League.
Leandro Trossard’s strike proved to be the only goal of the game for the North London side, and it was enough to seal the win over the Cottagers.
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Despite the win, the display of Gyokeres will have concerned some supporters, but Alan Shearer has urged them to remain patient and here’s why.
Viktor Gyokeres looks on during Arsenal vs West Ham
Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images
Alan Shearer on Viktor Gyokeres being different to Kai Havertz and Mikel Merino
Shearer believes that Viktor Gyokeres’ willingness to run in behind defences makes him a better option for Arsenal than Kai Havertz and Mikel Merino.
The former Premier League striker thinks that last season, Havertz and Merino were often easier to defend as they would drop deep and look to link play.
Meanwhile, the Swede’s willingness to stay high and make runs forces Arsenal’s opponents to drop deeper to follow him.
When analysing the Swedish international, Shearer told BBC MOTD: “Yeah, he hasn’t got the goals. He’s not in the league of the other three we just showed (Harry Kane, Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland), far from that, but he brings a different strength. There’s no doubt he will have to improve his goal scoring; he only has three.
“But one of his strengths, which has suited Arsenal, is his ability to go in behind, and I think when he does that, that then creates space for others to play.
“Because last season, you had (Kai) Havertz or (Mikel) Merino coming short, and that’s easier for teams to defend against, but when you’re running the other way, they get deeper and deeper – that then opens the space for others to play. So I think from that point of view, he has improved Arsenal.”
Arteta is a fan of Gyokeres, and he feels as though the striker has added a different dimension to his team’s attack.
Elsewhere, Cristhian Mosquera has called Gyokeres a ‘beast’, suggesting he’s helping Arsenal’s defenders to improve by facing them in training.
Alan Shearer makes Viktor Gyokeres goal prediction at Arsenal
Shearer has also backed the goal to finally come for Gyokeres, with the attacker having netted just three times for Arteta’s team.
Arsenal created three big chances against Fulham, and the Newcastle legend believes that Gyokeres will soon start putting these opportunities away.
Stat Total
Minutes 89
Touches 20
Shots (On target) 3 (2)
Accurate passes 5/9 (56%)
Duels 7 (4)
Viktor Gyokeres’ stats vs Fulham (Sofascore)
“I think he will get the goals, obviously nowhere near as many as he got last season, but he will get the goals with the number of chances Arsenal create, he will, and his numbers should improve,” claimed Shearer.
Last season at Sporting, Gyokeres netted a staggering 54 goals, so he’s certainly proved his incredible prowess in front of the net.