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REVEALED: WHAT WAYNE ROONEY REALLY THINKS ABOUT VIKTOR GYOKERES’S "LOW" GOAL SCORING AT ARSENAL

Wayne Rooney defends Viktor Gyokeres' goal drought, claiming his work rate is the key to Arsenal winning the title.

REVEALED: What Wayne Rooney really thinks about Viktor Gyokeres’s "low" goal scoring at Arsenal
Wayne Rooney confirms Viktor Gyokeres is Arsenal’s "vital" title piece

Rooney chimed in on what Viktor Gyokeres brings to Arsenal after the Swedish player scored his seventh goal this season with a game-winning penalty against Everton.

When Gyokeres' value to the team came up, Rooney said, “I don’t agree with that take. A forward should take the penalty when it’s 0-0. If the game's already decided, sure, give it to someone else. But not at 0-0. That's on your designated penalty taker. If he misses, then there's a problem.

Your penalty taker has that role for a reason. He should take the penalty. I get giving penalties to guys who need a goal, but that's when you're already winning big. At 0-0? I know he's the main striker and you want to boost his confidence, but your penalty taker should take it—especially in a tough away game when you're trying to win the league. Luckily for Arsenal, he scored.

He does more than people give him credit for. Okay, he hasn’t scored as many goals as he did in Portugal, but he still brings something to the team. Last night, for example, he kept both center backs busy—Tarkowski and Michael Keane. Keane was great again; he's been playing really well for Everton. But Gyokeres kept them occupied, which opened up space for the number 10 or the wingers cutting inside. It keeps the center backs on their toes.

That creates space for other players, so I think he's important to Arsenal. He's helping the team even if he hasn't scored as many goals as people expect.

He'll be a vital part if Arsenal wins the title. Last season, we saw the ball going wide a lot. Declan Rice had to be the presence in the box, doing more work than he should have because Arsenal lacked a proper number nine. That’s what I mean about Gyokeres opening up space for others.

It's not always obvious, but he occupies the center backs. So, I think he's doing his job for Arsenal. Can he improve? Sure. Should he score more goals playing on that team? Of course. But if Arsenal wins the league, he'll have played a big role, for sure.”

THE NEXT STAR: WHY ARSENAL BELIEVE ANTONIO NUSA IS THEIR ULTIMATE ATTACKING SPARK

Arsenal lead the race for Antonio Nusa! Read about the €60m valuation and why Liverpool and Man Utd are also tracking the winger.

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Arsenal Step Up Scouting For €60m Rated Leipzig Star Antonio Nusa

Arsenal have had their eye on Antonio Nusa for a while now, gearing up for a big summer as they look to beef up the squad. Nusa, the Norwegian forward lighting up the Bundesliga, has turned into one of the league’s most exciting attackers lately. Rumours are flying that he’s ready for a new challenge once the season wraps up.

Playing for RB Leipzig, Nusa keeps delivering quick, creative, and always a threat up front. He’s become a huge part of Leipzig’s attack, and clubs all over Europe are taking notice. Arsenal’s scouts haven’t missed a beat, tracking his progress and weighing up whether he’s the spark their attack needs.

Liverpool isn’t sitting this one out either. They already checked in on Nusa during the last transfer window, after missing out on Antoine Semenyo. So, Arsenal won’t be alone once the season ends; expect some serious competition from their Premier League rivals, which just makes the whole thing trickier.

Lately, Arsenal has stepped up its scouting. Fussball Daten says Nusa is now one of their main targets, and they’ve sent multiple scouts to keep tabs on him. This isn’t just a passing interest; they’re serious about landing a top attacking talent.

Leipzig, for their part, seems to know what’s coming. They’re bracing themselves for offers and are likely to set a firm asking price for Nusa. That should give Arsenal and Liverpool a better sense of what it’ll take to get a deal done.

Nusa won’t come cheap. He’s young, talented, and keeps getting better in Germany, so Leipzig will want a big fee. Still, both Arsenal and Liverpool have shown they’re willing to spend to get the right player. Money probably won’t be the thing that stops them.

If Nusa keeps playing the way he has been, Arsenal and Liverpool look ready to match Leipzig’s demands and go all-in for one of their top summer targets.

ARSENAL INJURY UPDATE: SALIBA FACES FITNESS TEST WHILE MIKEL MERINO UNDERGOES MAJOR SURGERY

Arsenal face an injury crisis! Read the latest on William Saliba’s illness, Kai Havertz’s muscle injury, and Mikel Merino’s surgery.

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Havertz, Saliba, And Merino Injury Updates Ahead Of Arsenal vs Wigan

Arsenal are heading into a packed stretch of games, and injuries are starting to pile up. Fans are on edge, waiting to hear what’s happening with William Saliba and Kai Havertz. There’s an FA Cup clash with Wigan coming up, plus some huge Premier League matches, so Mikel Arteta has his hands full trying to keep the squad sharp and the momentum going.

That 1-1 draw at Brentford helped settle things a bit, especially with Leandro Trossard, Bukayo Saka, and Martin Odegaard all back in the lineup. Their return lifted the mood, but there’s still a lot of uncertainty around a few players who could make or break Arsenal’s short-term hopes.

Let’s start with Saliba. He’s a rock in the back line, and his absence at Brentford was obvious, even though Cristhian Mosquera stepped up. Saliba trained earlier in the week, but illness kept him out of the game. Now, everyone’s hoping he’ll be fit for the FA Cup tie, especially with the north London derby against Spurs right after. Arteta knows that a steady defence is everything when the season gets tough, and Saliba’s calmness on the ball is now a big part of how Arsenal builds up play. If he’s back in time, it’s a big boost heading into a run of games that could shape the rest of their season.

Then there’s Havertz. He’d just started finding his rhythm again after dealing with a knee problem, only to pick up another setback – a muscle injury this time. He hasn’t played since the opening-day win over Manchester United, and now it looks like he’ll miss more games. Havertz brings a lot of flexibility up front, and he’s great at pulling defenders around. Losing him, especially when there’s a derby and a busy league schedule, means Arteta has to shuffle his attack. Right now, it looks like Havertz will sit out against Wigan, Wolves, and Spurs, with a possible return against Chelsea in early March. Getting him fit again is going to be key if Arsenal want to keep scoring goals.

Midfield depth has taken a hit, too, with Mikel Merino out after foot surgery. Arsenal confirmed he’s sidelined for a while, and Arteta opened up about just how tricky this injury is.

“There’s uncertainty because the recovery time isn’t well understood, as there’s no history of this type of injury. It’s a stress fracture, not the toes; it’s deeper than that. It’s not something that’s well documented, so there’s a lot of doubt about his recovery.”

Arteta added, “Doctors were really happy. But with bone healing, you need patience. We’re talking months three, four, maybe five. We just don’t know yet.”

Basically, Arsenal are bracing for a long wait with Merino.

There’s at least one bright spot: Max Dowman is almost ready to come back after his ankle injury. The 16-year-old has been out for two months, but he’s getting close. Arteta kept it simple before the Brentford match: “He’s doing really well, about a week away.” If Dowman makes it back in time for the Tottenham game, he could give the team a much-needed jolt during a tough stretch.

With Saliba’s fitness still up in the air and Havertz sidelined again, Arsenal’s depth is about to get a real test. The next few weeks will show just how well Arteta can keep things on track while juggling injuries and trying to stay in the hunt on all fronts.

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