Gary Lineker gets his brutal Viktor Gyokeres theory torn apart by Rio Ferdinand

Gary Lineker's Theory on Viktor Gyokeres Challenged by Rio Ferdinand

Viktor Gyokeres has scored all four of his Premier League goals against teams positioned in the bottom five, which sparked claims that Arsenal's £64 million signing is a "flat-track bully." Former England striker Gary Lineker suggested Gyokeres needs to begin scoring in bigger matches.

Gyokeres' Performance Against Top Teams

Gyokeres, 27, netted his fourth Premier League goal on Saturday, contributing to Arsenal's 2-0 win at Burnley. His other goals came against Leeds United and Nottingham Forest, both also bottom-five teams. However, he has failed to score against top clubs such as Liverpool, Manchester City, and Manchester United, where his overall play received criticism.

"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."

Rio Ferdinand's Counterpoint

Rio Ferdinand disputes Lineker’s claim, asserting that if Gyokeres continues to score consistently against lower-tier and average teams, Arsenal could clinch the title under Mikel Arteta. Fans will remember Gyokeres, formerly of Sporting Lisbon and currently sidelined due to injury, scored twice against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League.

"If Gyokeres keeps bullying the rubbish and average teams, Mikel Arteta's side will win the title."

Summary

While Lineker calls for Gyokeres to prove himself in high-profile matches, Ferdinand emphasizes the value of securing goals against all opponents as key to Arsenal’s title hopes.

Author's summary: Gyokeres' scoring mainly against weaker teams sparks debate; Lineker urges big-game goals, while Ferdinand stresses consistent scoring as vital for Arsenal's success.

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The Mirror The Mirror — 2025-11-04

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