'One of the best strikers in the world' - Declan Rice fires Viktor Gyokeres warning to Arsenal's rivals as he explains £64m man's struggles in front of goal

The Swedish forward arrived at the Emirates with a fearsome reputation, but has recently come under intense scrutiny following a run of matches where clear-cut chances have been hard to come by. Having plundered goals for fun in Portugal with Sporting CP, the 27-year-old was viewed as the final piece of the jigsaw for Mikel Arteta’s side. However, the transition to the English top flight has proven to be a tactical grind in recent weeks, with the striker enduring a difficult period in front of goal that has seen him fail to find the net in three straight games, scoring just one in his last nine.

While his work rate has been faultless, the goals have dried up, leading some observers to question whether the heavy price tag is weighing on his shoulders or if opposition managers have already figured out how to stop him. The narrative building outside the club suggests a player struggling for confidence, but inside the dressing room, the perspective is vastly different. The squad views him not as a misfiring cannon, but as a battering ram that is creating space for others to exploit. The attention he demands from centre-backs has opened up lanes for the likes of Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli and Rice himself, who has managed to get on the scoresheet more frequently recently.

Speaking to the media after the Gunners' latest victory - a hard-fought win over Bournemouth where Rice proved to be the match-winner - the midfielder was unequivocal in his support. He urged those watching to look beyond the basic statistics and appreciate the dirty work the Swede is doing to facilitate the team's attacking fluency. Rice highlighted the specific build-up to his opening goal as the perfect example of Gyokeres' selfless contribution.

"It's tough for him, because he's got two defenders on him all game, all over him," Rice explained. "So he has to use his strength, he has to do all he can to help the team and with my first goal, without him making that run from Gabriel Martinelli's flick and holding it, setting it off to Martin [Odegaard], that goal wouldn't happen. That was a pivotal moment in the game for us to turn the game on its head.

"I see how hard he hits a ball, and when that space arrives for him and the ball's arriving at his feet to score goals, he will 100% score. But at the minute, defenders in the Premier League want to be able to stop Viktor Gyokeres, because he's one of the best strikers in the world.

"Trust me, he's doing unbelievably for us, and we wouldn't be where we are without him."

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Against Bournemouth, the Cherries' defence was terrified of the Swede spinning in behind, leading them to commit two markers to him whenever the ball was played centrally. This is a common theme in the Premier League, where physical strikers are often subjected to rough treatment and double-teams to nullify their threat.

In the pivotal moment Rice described, Gyokeres received a difficult flick-on with a defender on his back. Instead of trying to force a shot, he held the ball up, shielding it with his immense physical strength before laying it off to the captain, Martin Odegaard. That simple act of hold-up play took three Bournemouth players out of the game, allowing the Norwegian to thread the pass to Rice in acres of space. It is this unselfish play that has endeared him to Arteta. While the manager would undoubtedly prefer his number nine to be challenging for the Golden Boot, he recognises that the team’s overall fluidity is better with a focal point who can occupy centre-halves physically.

By publicly stating that the team "wouldn't be where we are without him," the 26-year-old is reinforcing the unity of the squad and sending a message to rivals that Arsenal are not concerned by the noise.

The warning is implicit: the current goal drought is circumstantial, not terminal. If teams continue to commit two defenders to stop the £64m man, Rice and the wingers will punish them in the spaces left behind. If they stop doubling up to cover the midfield runners, Gyokeres will find the room he needs to score. It is a "pick your poison" scenario that Arteta has engineered. As long as the wins keep coming, the goal tally of the centre-forward will remain a secondary concern for those inside the Emirates, who remain convinced that the floodgates will open once again.