Viktor Gyokeres could have easily been playing for Manchester United this season but he is instead struggling for form at Arsenal.
When Manchester United faced Arsenal on the opening weekend of the Premier League season, it was a very interesting game due to two players.
Viktor Gyokeres had signed for Arsenal despite many rumours linking him with an Old Trafford move, while Benjamin Šeško had joined United after multiple years of Mikel Arteta’s men leading the race for him.
Šeško came off the bench in that game as he was not fully fit but Gyokeres was leading the line for Arsenal and largely disappointed. He has failed to really kick on since then despite playing for the best team in the league.
United fans are glad that they have signed Šeško, who is five years younger and looks like he can develop into a top player.
One major concern United had over Gyokeres
Gyokeres will face United once again this coming weekend and he will be hoping to improve his tally in the Premier League.
Even though he has scored five league goals for Arsenal, two of those have been penalties and the other three came against Leeds, Nottingham Forest and Burnley.
The Swedes’ penalty strike against Everton is the only goal he has scored against any of the Premier League’s top 15 teams and that is apparently something that United were concerned about in the summer.
Andy Mitten has explained that the Reds were aware that Gyokeres has historically mainly scored against the lower teams in his respective leagues. His record at Sporting against the likes of FC Porto and Benfica was not the best.
“Gyokeres, it was put to me when there was talk about Manchester United being interested in him about his statistics,” Mitten explained on the Talk of the Devils podcast.
“When a greater look was put to them, he scored a lot of goals against teams lower down in the tables wherever he has played, and that has proved to be true.”
United avoided big mistake with Gyokeres
Šeško has not made a huge impact for United either. His five goals have come against Burnley, Brighton, Sunderland and Brentford.
But it was always clear that the Slovenian would be a project. One that can hopefully be more successful than the Rasmus Højlund one.
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He can grow alongside United in the coming years but signing Gyokeres, who is supposed to be in his prime years, would have been a big mistake.
Arsenal can carry the underperforming striker but that would not have happened at Old Trafford. Although, many could have blamed his poor levels on his club instead if he signed for the Reds.
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