Paul Merson fears Arsenal summer signing Viktor Gyokeres could end up costing the Gunners the Premier League title in the business end of the season.
Arsenal secured their seventh win in a row on Saturday, beating Bournemouth 3-2 thanks to Declan Rice’s second-half brace.
£64m summer signing Gyokeres started the match at the Vitality Stadium but was subbed off with half an hour remaining and replaced by Gabriel Jesus.
Gyokeres has only scored one goal over the past two months, while he has seven in 23 appearances overall since his move from Portuguese champions Sporting.
The 27-year-old boasted an extraordinary goalscoring record at Sporting but has failed to hit those heights at the Emirates Stadium.
Merson has worryingly questioned whether Gyokeres is a ‘natural goalscorer’ and believes his lack of finesse in the final third could cost Arsenal dearly come the end of the season.
Arsenal are the clear favourites to win the title with 18 games remaining and sit six points clear of second-placed Manchester City ahead of Thursday’s clash with Liverpool.
‘I don’t think Arsenal have a natural goalscorer,’ Merson said on Sky Sports. ‘Gyokeres has come in and is supposed to be that player, but I don’t think he’s a natural goalscorer.
‘He’s never tapping balls in, he’s not got a lot of goals, full-stop. When it gets down to those last eight games, and it gets so nervy, you might need that something out of nothing.
‘They need a natural goalscorer, and I think the nearest they have is Gabriel Jesus. He goes with Gyokeres before him, and I think he’ll go with [Kai] Havertz before him when he comes back. That’s the one for me.’
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Arsenal star Declan Rice has a different view of Gyokeres, however, and says ‘we wouldn’t be where we are without him’.
Mikel Arteta’s side are bidding to win their first Premier League title since 2004 following three second-place finishes.
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‘It’s tough for him, because he’s got two defenders on him all game, all over him,’ Rice said after his heroics against Bournemouth.
‘So he has to use his strength, he has to do all he can to help the team and with my first goal, without him making that run from Gabriel Martinelli’s flick and holding it, setting it off to Martin (Odegaard), that goal wouldn’t happen.
‘That was a pivotal moment in the game for us to turn the game on its head. I see how hard he hits a ball, and when that space arrives for him and the ball’s arriving at his feet to score goals, he will 100 per cent score.
‘But at the minute, defenders in the Premier League want to be able to stop Viktor Gyokeres, because he’s one of the best strikers in the world.
‘Trust me, he’s doing unbelievably for us, and we wouldn’t be where we are without him.’
Arsenal continue their Premier League title charge against defending champions Liverpool on Thursday night.
Liverpool were widely expected to retain the trophy but travel to north London this week sitting a whopping 14 points behind the Gunners.
Arsenal’s nearest rivals, Manchester City, dropped points in each of their last two games, drawing 0-0 with Sunderland before a 1-1 draw with Chelsea.
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