Wayne Rooney just made a Viktor Gyökeres realisation Arsenal fans will love

Wayne Rooney has named Viktor Gyökeres as one of the unsung heroes of the Arsenal team as they look to close out their Premier League title bid. The Gunners are just two games away from winning the league at the most, needing to win their last two to guarantee title success.

It may take less, but Arsenal have their fate in their own hands, and they know that if they win their last three games across all competitions, they will have completed a famous double and won their first-ever Champions League title.

There have been some nervy moments this season, but this team has clearly been impressive, boasting a wealth of talent. Summer signing ViktorGyökeres has attracted mixed reviews, largely pertaining to the fact he has not scored at will.

Gyökeres has scored 21 across all competitions, which is more than respectable, but he hasn't been the clinical goalscorer he was at Sporting CP, and that has been jarring for some.

Wayne Roonery recognises something about Viktor Gyökeres Arsenal fans will love

Still, the striker has played a key role, and there are a lot of parts to his game that may not get attention but prove critical to the way Arsenal play. That's something Rooney, who knows a thing or two about playing up top, has spotted.

"I've said this all season, and I have been criticised for saying it, but I actually really like him," he told The Overlap EFL Fan Debate.

"What he brings to that Arsenal team is that he occupies defenders. He makes them work, he makes them defend, he runs the channels."

"And what we've seen recently is that it's creating more space for [Eberechi] Eze and for [Bukayo] Saka -- because if one, or both centre-backs have to go and cover him and then the full-back has to cover round, when you switch the ball quickly, it creates so much space for everyone just in behind him."

"Over the last few weeks he has been showing that even more and if Arsenal go on to win the league and the Champions League, he'll be a major reason behind it, because that's where Arsenal have been short in the last few years.

"I know he hasn't scored the goals Haaland has scored, but he has been really important for that Arsenal team and he will be a major factor if they do win the two of them."

What many fans miss is that Mikel Arteta asks his strikers to play in a certain way, which is why he likes Kai Havertz, even though the German is not a goalscorer. Arteta wants his strikers to drop in, receive the ball, protect it and bring midfielders and wingers into play.

That style of play is not conducive to being a 30-plus goal scorer because you cannot drop in often while also being on the last man, ready to seize upon loose balls and collect rebounds.

Arteta doesn't put strikers in a position to score at will, and Gyökeres is no exception. In fact, his size means he can have an even bigger effect when it comes to bringing others into play, and to his credit, he has while still managing more than 20 goals.

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