Rio Ferdinand has defended Arsenal striker Viktor Gyokeres as the Swedish international endures a goal drought, with the forward failing to score in his last six matches across all competitions. Gyokeres has managed just three goals this season, all in the Premier League, and his most recent strike came in mid-September against Nottingham Forest.
The 27-year-old played the full 90 minutes in Arsenal’s 2-0 victory over West Ham United on Saturday, which propelled Mikel Arteta’s side to the top of the Premier League table. Despite his lack of goals, Ferdinand believes Gyokeres will be satisfied given the team’s position. 'He's doing alright,' Ferdinand said on his Rio Presents podcast. 'You're top of the league, everything's rosy when you're top of the league.'
Gyokeres, who joined Arsenal from Sporting CP, has drawn praise from Arteta for his contributions beyond scoring. 'I just went there and hugged him and said thank you because the work that he does is unbelievable for the team,' Arteta said after the West Ham match. 'The way he stretches the back four and the spaces he opens. I mean, today, how he hasn't scored a goal, I don't know.'
While Gyokeres managed only one shot on target against West Ham, he has retained the support of his manager and teammates as Arsenal lead the Premier League for the first time this season after Liverpool’s consecutive defeats.
