Wayne Rooney has picked out Arsenal striker Viktor Gyokeres as one of the Premier League’s top three performers so far this season.
Arsenal bosses prioritised bringing in an out-and-out centre-forward after a third successive runners-up finish in the Premier League, with supporters crying out for a proven goalscorer to add greater firepower to Mikel Arteta’s attack.
A host of high-profile names were linked over the course of the summer transfer window before the Gunners honed in on a deal for Gyokeres, whose extraordinary goalscoring exploits helped Sporting win a domestic double last term.
Gyokeres has gone on to find the net four times in his opening ten appearances in the English top flight. He has also chipped in with two goals in the Champions League – which both came against Atletico Madrid.
Despite some question marks over his mobility and technical ability, the Swede’s contribution up front has helped Arsenal open up a four-point lead at the top of the table after eight games – and he will no doubt be desperate to add to his tally in his first north London derby on Sunday.
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However, the league leaders are yet to confirm whether or not their summer signing will be available to take to the field against Tottenham, with a hamstring injury keeping him out of the club’s last two contests.
He also played no part for his country during the international break and Arteta will be expected to provide some clarity on the situation when he faces the media on Friday.
Arteta faces a potential selection headache should Gyokeres be ruled out and Rooney clearly believes the striker’s absence would come as a major blow to Arsenal.
According to Rooney, the former Sporting marksman has been among the league’s standout players, alongside Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo and Manchester United’s Bryan Mbeumo.
Asked to name his top three players so far this season, the ex-Manchester United and England captain told Amazon Prime: ‘Top three, probably Semenyo, I think he’s been brilliant for Bournemouth, carrying on his form from last season.
‘I’d also put Bryan Mbeumo in there. I think he’s been really good for Manchester United, even after a difficult start to the season for the club. I think he’s been really good.
‘The third one, I’d probably go with Gyokeres. Arsenal have been crying out for a new number nine for a few years now and he’s come in.
‘His work-rate and his determination to hold up play and he’s obviously scoring a few goals as well so I’d say that’s my top three.’
While Gyokeres has added more of a physical threat up front for Arsenal, six players – namely Jean-Philippe Mateta, Danny Welbeck, Igor Thiago, Erling Haaland, Semenyo and Mbeumo – have outscored the Sweden international in the Premier League this term.
The somewhat surprising omission of Manchester City striker Haaland from Rooney’s three-man list, in particular, has left some fans scratching their heads.
After all, the free-scoring Norwegian has been in frightening form of late, netting 14 times in his first eight games – six goals more than his nearest rival in the charts.
Haaland will be hoping to increase his total when Pep Guardiola’s side travel to St James’ Park to lock horns with an out-of-sorts Newcastle on Saturday.
Featuring on a recent episode of The Overlap, Rooney described Haaland as a ‘goalscoring machine’ and suggested his all-round game had improved this season.
However, he went on to argue that Haaland can be ‘sloppy’ in certain areas and there is still room for room for improvement from the striker going forward.
‘I think his game this season has got better. His hold-up play, his link-up play, is better,’ Rooney said.
‘But in terms goalscoring, he’s just a machine.
‘He’s scoring so many goals that I don’t think you need to see him being what Didier Drogba was. I think Drogba needed that for his game.
‘I don’t think Manchester City are as possession-based now as what they were.
‘I think he’s still a bit sloppy. Technically, he’s not as good as some other players with getting the ball out of his feet and turning and stuff. That’s not been his strength.
‘But I think he’s got a bit better at that this season and he looks a bit leaner I think as well.’
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