Arsenal’s No.9 dilemma puts Gyokeres in the spotlight against Liverpool

January 8, 2026 Oliver Obel

Arsenal’s ability to rotate freely in attack has been central to a season that has taken them to the top of both the Premier League and Champions League tables. Yet that flexibility has also sharpened the focus on the one player signed to provide certainty in the No.9 role.

Thursday’s meeting with Liverpool, played in a rare standalone midweek slot at the Emirates Stadium, gives Viktor Gyokeres a stage few Arsenal players can escape and one that could shape how his debut season is judged.

Why Arsenal backed Gyokeres

Signed last July from Sporting CP for an initial £55 million, Gyokeres arrived after Arsenal chose not to pursue RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko, who later joined Manchester United.

The decision was underpinned by logic. Gyokeres had scored 97 goals in 102 games in Portugal and had already shown he could adapt to English football during a prolific spell with Coventry City in the Championship.

Output hasn’t matched expectation

That record has not yet translated cleanly to the Premier League. Gyokeres has scored seven goals in 23 appearances for Arsenal, two of them penalties, and has failed to find the net in most of his outings.

He remains the club’s joint top scorer, but that distinction says as much about Arsenal’s shared attacking burden as it does about his individual impact. Fifteen different players have scored this season, with set-pieces and own goals further diluting reliance on a single forward.

GOAL has ranked Gyokeres among the Premier League’s most disappointing signings so far, a verdict shaped by expectation rather than collapse. Arsenal believed his movement and physical presence would be enough to turn chances into goals within a fluid system. So far, the connection has been inconsistent.

Questions over movement and fit

Former England striker Gary Lineker pointed to movement rather than finishing as the key issue. Speaking on The Rest Is Football podcast, he said: “As a striker you got to gamble… I don't see that too often from Gyokeres at present,” comparing him unfavourably to Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s willingness to attack space before delivery.

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There are also stylistic concerns. Gyokeres’ strength has not consistently translated into dominance against Premier League defenders. Former Arsenal midfielder Stefan Schwarz suggested adaptation is still required. “Hopefully, he'll start to create and score goals… and get a bit lighter because he's a heavy player,” Schwarz told Hajper, while emphasising that understanding teammates’ movement takes time.

Pressure from within the squad

Time, however, is becoming a factor. Competition for the central role is increasing. Gabriel Jesus has returned strongly from an ACL injury, prompting Jamie Carragher to argue on Sky Sports that the Brazilian should soon reclaim a starting place.

“He's a better player than Gyokeres that's a fact,” Carragher said, also suggesting Kai Havertz offers greater finesse through the middle.

Havertz is nearing his own return from injury, and Mikel Arteta has consistently highlighted his value. “He's a player that we miss a lot… he brings the team into a different dimension,” the Arsenal manager said in December, underlining how selection decisions in attack are tightening.

Backed by Arteta and teammates

Within the squad, Gyokeres’ contribution is viewed differently. Declan Rice has pointed to the striker’s ability to occupy defenders and create space for others.

“Defenders in the Premier League want to be able to stop Viktor Gyokeres, because he's one of the best strikers in the world,” Rice said, crediting his role in goals that do not show up in the scorer’s column.

Arteta has echoed that backing, repeatedly citing Gyokeres’ lack of a full pre-season and the physical demands of adapting to England’s top flight. “We have full support for him,” the manager said, framing the adjustment as ongoing rather than alarming.

A moment that could shift the narrative

Liverpool’s visit comes at a moment when opportunity meets perception. Arsenal lead the Reds by 14 points, while Arne Slot’s side have looked increasingly fragile defensively. With Liverpool short of confidence and missing key attacking options, this is the type of fixture a marquee striker is expected to influence.

For Gyokeres, it is not about silencing criticism in one night, but about showing that his role can be decisive rather than theoretical. If Arsenal’s long search for a reliable No.9 is to be justified, this is the kind of match where progress must finally be visible.

Sources: GOAL, Sky Sports, Hajper

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