Wayne Rooney believes that Viktor Gyokeres’ performances will likely be a ‘major factor’ in Arsenal’s bid to finish their season with a historic double.
Gyokeres was Arsenal’s big-money signing last summer, joining from Sporting CP for £64million in a bid so as to add more firepower to Mikel Arteta’s attack.
The Swede endured a sluggish begin to life on the Emirates, scoring just three goals in his first 11 matches before going 10 games with out a goal from open play.
However the 27-year-old has proven his value towards the back end of the season, scoring a brace against Fulham and delivering a man-of-the-match display against Atletico Madrid within the Gunners’ Champions League semi-final second leg.
Those recent results have left Arsenal inside three wins of securing a primary league title in greater than 20 years, in addition to a first-ever Champions League crown.
And Rooney believes that Gyokeres’ all-around play will likely be of significant importance if Arsenal are to recover from the road in each competitions in the approaching weeks.
‘I’ve said this all season and I actually have been criticised for saying it, but I actually really like him,’ Rooney told The Overlap EFL Fan Debate with SkyBet.
‘What he brings to that Arsenal team is that he occupies defenders. He makes them work, he makes them defend, he runs the channels.
‘And what we’ve seen recently is that it’s creating more room for [Eberechi] Eze and for [Bukayo] Saka — because if one, or each centre-backs need to go and canopy him after which the full-back has to cover round, whenever you switch the ball quickly, it creates a lot space for everybody just in behind him.
‘Over the previous couple of weeks he has been showing that much more and if Arsenal go on to win the league and the Champions League, he’ll be a serious reason behind it, because that’s where Arsenal have been short in the previous couple of years.
‘I do know he hasn’t scored the goals Haaland has scored, but he has been really essential for that Arsenal team and he will likely be a significant factor in the event that they do win the 2 of them.’
For now, all eyes will likely be on Manchester City as they give the impression of being to drag inside two points of Arsenal with a win against Crystal Palace on Wednesday.
But when Pep Guardiola’s side drop points, then Arsenal know that a win against Burnley on Monday will see them crowned champions before the ultimate day.
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