Forget Bukayo Saka: Matt Le Tissier names the three players who will define Arsenal’s title challenge
Matt Le Tissier has revealed the three players who he believes will have the biggest impact on Arsenal’s fortunes throughout this season as they chase a title triumph.
Premier League legend Matt Le Tissier exclusively told Football Insider his thoughts on who he thinks Mikel Arteta will need to lean on the most this season if Arsenal are to finish top of the table.
Arsenal beat Newcastle 2-1 at St James’ Park on Sunday (28 September) as Mikel Merino and Gabriel Magalhaes both scored to seal their win late on after Nick Woltemade had put the hosts in front.
Those three points moved the Gunners up to second in the Premier League after six games, just two points behind Liverpool after they lost 2-1 to Crystal Palace on Saturday (27 September).
Arteta’s side was well-bolstered in the summer window as Arsenal look to finally break their duck and win a league title this season, and a trio of players from across the pitch have been picked out as the most important to any potential success.
Vitkor Gyokeres, Declan Rice and Gabriel picked out as Arsenal’s three key players this season
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, former England and Southampton striker Le Tissier named the trio of striker Viktor Gyokeres, midfielder Declan Rice and defender Gabriel as who he thinks are the Gunners’ three most important players right now.
Each of those three have played in all eight of Arsenal’s games so far this term, with Swedish striker Gyokeres notching three goals, while Rice assisted Gabriel’s added-time winner against the Magpies last time out.
Le Tissier gave his explanation for picking each player, saying: “I would go with, as my three key players for Arsenal, Viktor Gyokeres, because I think that centre-forward position is something they’ve been lacking in so much in recent years that, if he can stick in 20 or 25 goals, I think they have a real chance of challenging Liverpool.
“I would also go with Declan Rice, who I think really is the engine room of that Arsenal team. He can dictate the tempo of play very well, and chip in with the occasional goal as well. He’s not a bad free-kick taker!
“The third one, for me, would be Gabriel, at the back. I think he is an incredibly consistent performer, I think he is a very good organiser, and he very rarely makes mistakes. That is key if you’re going to be a good centre-back in the Premier League when you are playing against top-quality opposition week-in, week-out.”
Gyokeres needs to start scoring again if Arsenal want to win the Premier League
Gyokeres made the move to Arsenal from Sporting CP in the summer for £64million off the back of two outstanding seasons in Portugal in which he netted 97 goals in 102 games.
He netted three goals in the first four games of his Arsenal career, with two of those against newly-promoted Leeds, but he has not scored in his last four appearances with relatively anonymous showings against Man City and Newcastle.
He has not yet shown the kind of form that saw him pick up the Gerd Muller Award at the Ballon d’Or ceremony last week, and even had the least touches of any outfield player (32) to play 90 minutes against the Magpies over the weekend [Fotmob].
Gyokeres recently admitted that he wants to play in a team that creates chances, but he has already failed to have a shot in three of his Gunners appearances so far, and Arteta needs to find a way to get him scoring regularly if they are to pip Liverpool to the Premier League title this season.