Rio Ferdinand and Gary Lineker disagree on Viktor Gyokeres Arsenal theory
Viktor Gyokeres scored his fourth Premier League goal of the season on Saturday, helping Arsenal secure a comfortable 2-0 win over Burnley. The victory came against another bottom-five team, a point that has reignited debate about Gyokeres's ability to deliver in major matches.
Gyokeres, aged 27, has now scored against Burnley, Leeds United, and Nottingham Forest — all of whom sit in the lower half of the Premier League table. However, he has yet to find the net when facing tougher opponents such as Liverpool, Manchester City, and Manchester United.
Criticism and Response
This contrast has fueled criticism that Gyokeres is a "flat-track bully," a label once used during his successful tenure at Sporting Lisbon, where he scored 97 goals in 102 matches.
"I don't want to call him a flat-track bully, that's a bit unfair," said Gary Lineker on The Rest Is Football. "The criticism that people might raise is that in Portugal he didn’t really score many goals against the top teams, and so far his goals have come against Burnley, Forest, and Leeds. He needs to do it in some of the big games, but I think he's had a reasonable start."
Rio Ferdinand, on the other hand, dismissed such criticism, suggesting that consistency in scoring, regardless of the opposition, remains valuable for any striker adjusting to the Premier League.
Performance Context
- Gyokeres has 4 Premier League goals this season.
- All goals came against lower-ranked teams.
- He has yet to score against a top-six side.
Despite the debate, Gyokeres’s early form continues to provide Arsenal with a reliable attacking presence.
Author’s Summary: The debate between Lineker and Ferdinand highlights whether Viktor Gyokeres must prove himself against top-tier clubs or if steady scoring alone is enough proof of his worth.