Manchester United legend Wayne Rooney has reiterated his support for Arsenal striker Viktor Gyokeres, urging critics to look beyond the goal tally after the Swede's performances came under scrutiny.
Rooney's defence of the Arsenal number nine
The debate around Viktor Gyokeres intensified after he scored the only goal in Arsenal's 1-0 victory over Everton at Goodison Park on Saturday. The £64 million summer signing from Sporting Lisbon converted a second-half penalty after a handball by Jake O'Brien, securing three crucial points that sent the Gunners back to the Premier League summit.
Despite being the match-winner, Gyokeres's overall contribution has divided opinion. He has now netted seven goals in 20 appearances for Mikel Arteta's side, but only five of those have come in the league, against sides like Leeds, Nottingham Forest, Burnley, and Everton.
Pundits including Jamie Redknapp and Gary Lineker have questioned his adaptation to the Premier League's physicality and compared his output unfavourably to rivals like Erling Haaland. However, Rooney has doubled down on his backing for the forward.
The unheralded work that helps the team
Speaking on The Wayne Rooney Show, the former England captain argued that Gyokeres's value cannot be measured by goals alone. "It creates a little bit more space for other players," Rooney explained. "So I think he is important for Arsenal. He's doing a job for Arsenal which helps other players."
He highlighted the striker's role in occupying centre-backs, a tactical duty that may not be "eye-catching" but is vital for the team's structure. Rooney pointed out that last season, midfielder Declan Rice often found himself making runs into the box due to the absence of a traditional number nine.
"That's what I mean about where he is giving other players a bit more space," Rooney added. "Can he be better? Of course he can. Should he score more goals playing in that team? Yeah, he should. But I think if Arsenal go to win the league, then he'll have had a big role to play, definitely."
A pointed criticism of Arsenal's penalty process
While steadfast in his support, Rooney did question one aspect of Arsenal's performance at Everton: the decision to let Gyokeres take the decisive penalty. Regular takers Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka stepped aside to offer the striker the chance from the spot.
"Your penalty taker is your penalty taker for a reason," Rooney stated. "You should be the one to take the penalty. I've given penalties to people who need the goal. But we've been 3-4 nil up. At 0-0? I know he's number nine and you're a goal scorer, you're doing it for confidence. But your penalty taker should be the one to take the penalty – in a big game away from home when you're going to try and win the league."
He concluded, "I think, thankfully from Arsenal's point of view, he scored." The successful conversion proved pivotal in a tight contest and kept Arsenal's title ambitions firmly on track.
