Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville delivered a scathing assessment of Arsenal striker Viktor Gyokeres following the Gunners' Premier League stalemate with Liverpool on January 8, 2026.
Neville's On-Air Criticism
As the substitution board went up to signal Gyokeres' withdrawal in the 60th minute, Neville did not hold back in his commentary. "Not a surprise, that," he stated bluntly. "He's been ineffective, and that's being kind. It's a really poor night from him, he offered nothing."
Neville elaborated that while a forward can sometimes suffer from a lack of service, Gyokeres failed to involve himself in the game sufficiently. "Look, there's not getting service and then there's getting involved in the game and doing more – and he needed to do more," the former Manchester United defender added.
A Struggling Record Since Big-Money Move
The 27-year-old Swedish international, who joined Arsenal from Sporting CP in the summer of 2025 for a fee of £64 million, endured a difficult evening against Liverpool's central defensive pairing of Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate. He was eventually replaced by Gabriel Jesus with half an hour remaining.
The blank against Liverpool extends a worrying run of form. Gyokeres has now failed to score in open play for 11 consecutive matches. His overall Premier League return stands at just five goals from 18 appearances, a disappointing output for a player brought in to lead the line for a title-chasing side.
Growing Concerns Amidst Title Challenge
Much was anticipated from Gyokeres following his switch from Portuguese champions Sporting to an Arsenal team considered favourites for their first league crown since 2004. However, his performances have sparked debate.
Earlier in the week, teammate Declan Rice had defended the striker, insisting Arsenal would not be leading the title race without his contributions. This defence stands in contrast to the concerns raised by others.
Arsenal legend Paul Merson has openly questioned whether Gyokeres possesses the natural instincts needed for a title run-in. Speaking on Sky Sports, Merson said, "I don't think Arsenal have a natural goalscorer. Gyokeres has come in and is supposed to be that player, but I don't think he's a natural goalscorer."
Merson warned that in the nervy final stages of the season, the lack of a prolific finisher could prove costly. He suggested that manager Mikel Arteta may even turn to Gabriel Jesus or Kai Havertz ahead of Gyokeres when crucial moments arrive.
The pressure is now mounting on the £64 million man to rediscover his scoring touch and justify his substantial price tag as Arsenal enter the decisive phase of the campaign.
