"He is fighting the ball" - Paul Merson claims one Arsenal star is 'trying too hard' after their 2-1 win over Brighton

Arsenal legend Paul Merson believes striker Viktor Gyökeres is trying too hard on the pitch. He mocked the Swedish start, saying that he was fighting the ball, and everything he does on the pitch seems like a struggle.

Speaking on Sky Sports after the London side's 2-1 win against Brighton & Hove Albion, Merson said that Gabriel Jesus has to start for the Gunners, as he can calm things down in attack. He believes that Gyokeres is unable to do much for Mikel Arteta's side up front and said (via Metro):

"Arsenal played well at times. They came out the traps very well. They should have been 2-0 or 3-0 up. Gabriel Jesus came on and calmed it down. Viktor Gyokeres is fighting the ball and everything is a fight. Jesus has calmness and holds the ball up. Gyokeres is trying too hard."

Merson went on to add that David Raya has won them the game with his stunning save. He claimed that it was a key moment in the Premier League title race, and if they do win it, it would come down to his save, and said:

"If they go on and win the title, we will have to go back to the Raya save. It was off the charts. Nine times out of ten, that’s a goal. That’s massive for me. A massive, massive save."

The Gunners remain two points clear of Manchester City in the Premier League title race. The Cityzens kept the pressure on Mikel Arteta's side after winning against Nottingham Forest earlier on Saturday, December 27.

Viktor Gyokeres was warned about Arsenal move by William Gallas

William Gallas warned Viktor Gyokeres about the move in the summer. He claimed that the striker was taking a massive leap with the transfer and told Genting Casino:

"He's not just making one step. Going from Sporting to Arsenal right now is more like two or three steps. He will be playing against defenders who are really strong, maybe the strongest. In the first season, he will need to adapt." "He's tall, he's massive, so I may get attacked for saying this but in Portugal, he had a much bigger advantage on the defenders. He will need to adapt to the Premier League defenders quickly. There's a chance that his second year is much stronger than his first year at Arsenal. But Arsenal will not be wanting to wait for a major trophy any longer."

Gyokeres has scored just five goals in the Premier League this season in 16 appearances.

Edited by Sripad