Gary Lineker notices one key detail at Arsenal when Viktor Gyokeres plays

Fill in the blank: Arsenal are a ___________________ team when Viktor Gyokeres starts…

Is the Swede making Mikel Arteta’s team better or worse?

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Gyokeres has just seven goals in 23 matches for the Gunners and has now produced just one in his last ten appearances.

However, Declan Rice believes defenders are targeting Gyokeres, which is making it tough for him to get many chances. In turn, that is giving his teammates more space in which to operate.

The Arsenal midfielder added that the team would not be where they are without Gyokeres, with Lineker and Richards also jumping to his defence.

Gary Lineker defends Viktor Gyokeres at Arsenal

Gary Lineker has defended Viktor Gyokeres’ contribution at Arsenal this season by pointing out the space he is affording the likes of Rice and Martin Odegaard.

Gyokeres drew in five Bournemouth defenders before Odegaard was given the chance to set up Rice for the Gunners’ second goal on the South Coast.

It highlighted that whilst goals might be hard to come by right now for the striker, his role in Mikel Arteta’s team remains clear.

Speaking about him on the Rest is Football, Shearer questioned: “We said, they definitely need a striker, they pay a fortune for a striker, and he’s hardly scored any goals.”

To which Richards responded: “Yes, however, though, Al, he does make a difference in terms of stretching the opposition.”

Rank Arsenal’s four strikers from best to worst…

Is Gyokeres now Arsenal’s fourth choice striker?

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Meanwhile, Lineker also had his say by adding: “He does like to get in behind to give space in midfield for the likes of Rice, Odegaard and Merino when he plays.”

Arteta believes Gyokeres will always face scrutiny playing in the number nine role for Arsenal, which is always a highly pressured task.

Currently, the striker is playing a key role in this Arsenal team, which is helping to elevate the game of the players around him.

Gary Lineker hails Arsenal’s squad depth

Another aspect of Arsenal which has impressed Lineker this season is the team’s depth in quality, with Arteta able to constantly shuffle the pack.

Bukayo Saka started on the bench against Bournemouth; meanwhile, Eberechi Eze didn’t even make it onto the pitch.

Lineker claimed: “The thing about them at the moment, he can afford to rest them. He gives Saka a little break, so he nurtures him a bit.

“Then he’s got Noni Madueke to come in, now they’ve got real quality in depth. You talk about Eze being on the bench now, and he was flying at one point.

“So I think that squad is so strong, they even managed to cope without Gabriel and Saliba.”