Former England striker and prominent pundit Gary Lineker has delivered a brutally honest assessment of Arsenal's summer signing Viktor Gyokeres, stating the forward is not "in the same league" as Manchester City's Erling Haaland.
Penalty Decides Tense Encounter at Everton
Lineker's comments came after Gyokeres scored the only goal in Arsenal's 1-0 Premier League victory over Everton at the Hill Dickinson Stadium on December 20, 2025. The Swedish international converted a first-half penalty, awarded after a VAR review confirmed a handball by Everton's Jake O'Brien.
Despite regular takers Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard being on the pitch, it was Gyokeres who stepped up to confidently slam the spot-kick home. The goal ended his league drought, with his last Premier League strike coming in early November.
Lineker's Frank Podcast Assessment
Discussing the match on The Rest Is Football podcast, Lineker did not hold back in his comparison. "Gyokeres has come in and I look at him, and he's you know, I don't want to be rude, but he's not in the same league as Erling Haaland," Lineker stated.
He acknowledged the striker's successful penalty, taken to boost his confidence after a recent injury, but humourously added: "I didn't like the fact that Saka didn't take it cause that was the only bad thing in my fantasy team."
Shearer Offers Contrasting Praise
Co-host and Premier League record goalscorer Alan Shearer offered a more positive perspective on Gyokeres's decision to take responsibility. "I like that, though. I like that he had the balls to get up and take it," Shearer said.
He elaborated, praising the striker's mentality: "I was pleased for him because it would've been easy to say 'nah, you take it Saka'... I like that in someone where you're prepared to put your neck on the line basically because you haven't scored for a while."
Arteta's Striker Conundrum
The debate around Gyokeres comes as Arsenal's attacking options begin to strengthen. Gabriel Jesus has returned from an ACL injury and is being gradually reintegrated, while Kai Havertz is closing in on a comeback from a knee issue in the New Year.
This will present manager Mikel Arteta with a selection headache, having three distinct striker profiles to choose from, plus midfielder Mikel Merino who has filled in upfront.
Speaking after the Everton win, Gyokeres downplayed the penalty decision process: "We spoke a little bit on the pitch. It was an easy talk and then I took it... Nothing special, really." The goal was his fifth in the Premier League and seventh in all competitions since his move to North London.
While the three points kept Arsenal at the Premier League summit, the performance and Lineker's stark analysis highlight that the scrutiny on their centre-forward position is unlikely to fade as the title race intensifies.
