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 away victory over Burnley. The result marked another win against a bottom-five side, which reignited debate over his performance against stronger teams.
Gary Lineker suggested that Gyokeres must begin scoring in high-profile matches to cement his status as a top striker. He referred to the forward’s previous stint in Portugal, where similar concerns were raised about his record against elite opposition.
“I don't want to call him a flat-track bully, that's a bit unfair,” Lineker said on The Rest Is Football. “The criticism that people perhaps would say is that what he did in Portugal, he didn't really score many goals against the top teams, and so far his goals have been 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.”
In response, Rio Ferdinand dismissed the “flat-track bully” label, emphasizing that Gyokeres’ contribution to Arsenal should not be diminished by the level of opposition. The Swedish striker has so far scored against Burnley, Leeds United, and Nottingham Forest but has yet to find the net when facing Liverpool, Manchester City, or Manchester United.
Author’s Summary
Ferdinand defended Gyokeres against criticism from Lineker, emphasizing consistency and early progress despite questions about his impact in major fixtures.