Neville slams ‘really poor’ Gyokeres for ‘offering nothing’ in Arsenal vs Liverpool; Arteta offers defence | OneFootball

Manchester United legend Gary Neville hit out at Arsenal summer signing Viktor Gyokeres, who was “really poor” and “offered nothing” against Liverpool.

Arsenal signed Gyokeres for around £64m in the summer as an apparent fix to their striker problem after they were pretty toothless in attack last season.

Gyokeres scored goals for fun over a remarkable two-year spell at Sporting Lisbon, but he has struggled following his move to Arsenal as he has been somewhat found out in the Premier League.

The 27-year-old has only scored one Premier League goal in his last nine matches and has also been heavily criticised for his general play too.

His woes continued against Liverpool as he was taken off with around 25 minutes remaining, having only had eight touches in the match.

When he was taken off, Neville explained why his substitution was “not a surprise”.

“Not a surprise, that,” Neville said when Gyokeres was subbed off after 64 minutes against Liverpool.

“He’s been ineffective, and that’s being kind. It’s a really poor night from him, he offered nothing.

“Look, there’s not getting service and then there’s getting involved in the game and doing more – and he needed to do more.’

He added: “We’ve become used to forwards not getting involved in the game as much, but what they have to be is in the right position in the box.

“They have to be making those runs across the goalkeeper, across the near post, sliding into the six yard box. He didn’t do that, which is what I’m disappointed in.

“Yes, if you’re not doing that you’ve got to do the ugly bit – the pressing, holding the ball up. But I don’t think he contribute anything to the game tonight for Arsenal did Gyokeres.”

Arteta was never likely to publicly criticise Gyokeres after the match. Instead, he offered an unconvincing defence of his underperforming forward.

“He was in great positions. Sometimes the ball didn’t arrive,” Arteta said about Gyokeres after the match.

“As I said, there were situations where we got into the six-yard box that are normally a goal or you pick somebody out to score a goal.

“We didn’t do that and that’s the thing that today, we have to improve, and other things in the second half that are probably not at the standards we are used to.”

When asked whether he thinks Gyokeres is “getting better”,  Arteta responded: “Yes”.