Arsenal legend Paul Merson has made some pretty bold claims about Viktor Gyokeres. He reckons the Swedish striker doesn't have the trust of his Arsenal teammates, and they're deliberately not passing to him.
Now, this is interesting because Gyokeres is actually Arsenal's top scorer this season with 11 goals across all competitions. The Gunners paid around £64m to bring him over from Sporting CP, so you'd think he'd be getting plenty of service.
But according to Merson, that's not happening. Speaking on The Overlap, he said: "Arsenal don't trust him and the players never pass to him. You watch him next time; he comes short they go no."
Merson wants fans to pay attention during the next match. He insists that when Gyokeres drops deep to receive the ball, his teammates simply ignore him. It's a damning assessment of a big-money signing who was brought in to fire Arsenal to the title.
Can Arsenal Still Win the League?
Despite this concern about Gyokeres, Arsenal are sitting pretty at the top of the Premier League. They've got a six-point cushion over Manchester City in second place, which is a healthy advantage at this stage.
Merson believes this is finally Arsenal's year. "I want Arsenal to win the league this season and Arsenal will win the league this season," he declared. After three consecutive seasons as runners-up, the Gunners are desperate to get over the line.
For bettors watching the title race, Arsenal's attacking issues with Gyokeres could be a factor to consider. If their £64m striker isn't fully integrated into the team's play, it might affect their scoring consistency in crucial matches down the stretch.
Merson on Apologizing to Players
In a surprisingly candid moment, Merson revealed he's actually called players to apologize after being too harsh on Soccer Saturday. He rang Harry Maguire after criticizing his Manchester United move, admitting he went too far with his comments.
He also apologized to James Maddison last season after singling him out during a Tottenham performance. "When you're playing at 10 you've got to affect a football match," Merson explained, though he felt he crossed a line with his criticism.
It shows even experienced pundits sometimes wonder if they've been too tough on players. With Gyokeres now in his crosshairs, it'll be interesting to see if the striker can prove Merson wrong and force his way into his teammates' plans.
