Former Man City defender questions Arsenal’s title hopes
Former Manchester City and England defender Joleon Lescott has cast doubt on Arsenal’s chances of winning the Premier League this season, stating that their new striker, Viktor Gyokeres, is not good enough to lead them to domestic glory.
Speaking in an interview with Sky Bet, Lescott described the Swedish international as “okay” but warned that being average up front is not sufficient when chasing the league title.
“If you are going to win the league, your striker can’t be okay; he has to be top,” Lescott said.
Arsenal signed Gyokeres from Sporting CP
Arsenal signed Viktor Gyokeres from Portuguese side Sporting CP during the summer transfer window as part of manager Mikel Arteta’s efforts to bolster his attacking options.
Gyokeres arrived at the Emirates with a growing reputation, having scored 43 goals in 50 games for Sporting across all competitions during the 2024–25 season. However, his form in the Premier League has not hit the same heights, with the 26-year-old registering just three goals in his first ten appearances for the Gunners.
While fans are hopeful that the Swedish striker will eventually find his rhythm, Lescott believes his current output is not enough to keep up with Manchester City and Liverpool in the title race.
Premier League title requires elite strikers
Lescott, who won two Premier League titles with Manchester City, emphasized that winning the league requires consistency at the very highest level, particularly from strikers.
“When you look at teams that have won the league recently, they’ve had world-class, prolific strikers who can score goals out of nothing and deliver when it matters most,” he said.
“Victor Gyokeres might grow into that role eventually, but right now, I would describe him as ‘okay’. And ‘okay’ isn’t good enough to win the Premier League.”
Arteta may have better luck in Europe
Despite his doubts about Arsenal’s title credentials domestically, Lescott was more optimistic about their chances in the UEFA Champions League. He suggested that the structure of the competition—with breaks between matches and fewer games—might actually favour Arteta’s tactical approach and allow the team to be more competitive.
“I don’t think Mikel Arteta can get Arsenal over the line in the Premier League. But in the Champions League, it’s different,” Lescott said.
“With the way he rotates and because of that big gap before the knockout stages, no one knows what kind of form or fitness teams will be in. That suits Arsenal better than having to be consistently good every single week to win the league.”
Arsenal fans divided over striker debate
Lescott’s comments have sparked debate among Arsenal supporters, many of whom agree that the club needs a more clinical forward to challenge for major trophies. Others, however, believe Gyokeres needs more time to adapt to the demands of English football and Arteta’s system.
Arsenal currently sit in the top four of the Premier League and are expected to progress from the group stage of the Champions League. Whether Gyokeres can silence his critics with a goal-scoring surge remains to be seen.
For now, Lescott’s remarks have added another layer to the ongoing discussion about Arsenal’s squad depth, attacking firepower, and title aspirations this season.
