Gary Lineker tells misfiring Viktor Gyokeres to copy former Everton striker

Gary Lineker knows a thing or two about scoring goals and he has offered Arsenal striker Viktor Gyokeres some advice on finding the back of the net.

The 27-year-old was a huge summer signing for the Gunners, joining from Sporting for an initial £55m, with another £8.5m in add-ons.

The Sweden international arrived after two prolific seasons in Portugal but he is struggling to make the same impact with Arsenal as he did in Lisbon.

Gyokeres has scored five goals in 16 Premier League appearances, with seven in 21 outings across all competitions. Two of his Arsenal strikes have come from the penalty spot.

Mikel Arteta’s side sit pretty at the top of the Premier League table but concerns over their centre-forward remain and Lineker feels his movement in the penalty box is not up to scratch.

The England legend says the Swede is being reactive rather than proactive, which is costing him in front of goal.

‘At the moment he doesn’t really look like scoring a lot of goals, Gyokeres. They do get a lot of balls in, [Bukayo] Saka does deliver a lot but he’s not really getting on the end of things at the moment,’ Lineker said on The Rest Is Football.

‘I’ve watched him quite closely the last few weeks and I think, like most strikers, he’s one that waits to see where it’s going, the ball, where it’s crossed and then attacks the space.

‘That’s what defenders do, but as a striker you’ve got to gamble on where you think the ball might go and you go just as they’re about to cross it so you steal a march on the defender.

‘Lots of the time the ball won’t go there, but I don’t see him doing that very often.’

Lineker says Gyokeres would do well to study the example of Leeds United striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who has been in superb form of late.

The England international has scored seven goals in his last six games, including in the 1-1 draw with Sunderland on Sunday, which Lineker saw as an ideal example of what Gyokeres should be doing.

‘Dominic Calvert-Lewin did a perfect example of how to do that for the Leeds goal at Sunderland. Perfect,’ said the former Tottenham striker.

‘He didn’t wait and see where it was going to go, he pulled away and sprinted at the near post, hoped it would be delivered there and it was.

‘I don’t see that too often from Gyokeres at present. The players who score big numbers will do that. [Erling] Haaland, [Harry] Kane, [Robert] Lewandowski, they know how to make those kind of moves into those spaces.

‘Is it something you can learn? I’ve always thought yes. But it’s common sense, law of probability when you think about it.’

Could Calvert-Lewin make the World Cup squad?

Calvert-Lewin was snapped up by newly-promoted Leeds on a free transfer over the summer after he left Everton and now there is talk of a trip to the World Cup with England.

The 28-year-old has 11 caps for his country, scoring four goals, but has not played for England since 2021.

Former Three Lions midfielder Danny Murphy told Match of the Day: ‘If he maintains this level of form until the end of the season, then he’s going to be in a conversation for a World Cup place because his level at the moment is really high and he offers something different.

‘He is fantastic in the air and could give teams real problems off the bench.’

However, the former Liverpool star accepts Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins is still leading the race to be Harry Kane’s back-up over the summer.

‘If you compare the two players, Watkins has the edge in terms of using his pace to stretch teams and get in behind,’ he said.

‘I’m not saying Calvert-Lewin doesn’t want to run in behind, because he does, but I think Watkins has the edge when it comes to speed.

‘He also has the edge when it comes to making a meaningful impact at a major tournament. Calvert-Lewin made two substitute appearances at Euro 2020 but Watkins had that big moment by scoring the winner in the semi-final against the Netherlands at Euro 2024.

‘He will also have a slight advantage in terms of understanding and relationships with the players in the current squad.’

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