Arsenal star Declan Rice seems to prefer Viktor Gyokeres over Bukayo Saka as the club’s penalty taker.
The Gunners don’t often win spot kicks in games, but when they do, their number seven is the one who usually steps up.
However, summer signing Gyokeres has scored two penalties for Arsenal this season too and has been flawless.
There has been a debate over which attacker is the better penalty taker. Rice thinks it’s the Swede.
Fill the blanks: Viktor Gyokeres’ penalty vs Everton was the best penalty I’ve seen at Arsenal since ________.
Declan Rice names Viktor Gyokeres as Arsenal’s best penalty taker
Bukayo Saka has mostly been incredible for Arsenal from the penalty spot.
The England international has only ever missed twice – once against West Ham in the Premier League and more recently in the Champions League against Real Madrid.
As things stand, Saka is still Arsenal’s first-choice penalty taker, but he has competition.
Viktor Gyokeres has a 100 per cent record from the penalty spot for Arsenal and is very clinical from that position.
That’s probably why Declan Rice rates him so highly from the penalty spot.
In an interview with The Sun, Rice was asked to name the best Arsenal player, past or present, for different criteria.
The midfielder chose Thierry Henry for the best right foot, Dennis Bergkamp for the best first touch, and himself for the best corners.
When asked about penalties, he replied: “I’m going to go with Viktor. He has got a 100 per cent record.”
Who should be Arsenal’s first-choice penalty taker?
Mikel Arteta is also a big fan of Viktor Gyokeres’ penalties
Rice isn’t the only one who rates Gyokeres’ penalties very highly; Mikel Arteta does too.
The Arsenal manager is the one who brought the Swede in, and he would’ve seen his ability from the spot while scouting him.
Furthermore, Gyokeres must also train for penalties at the Sobha Realty Training Centre, where he may have caught Arteta’s eye.
When the Arsenal boss was asked to name Arsenal’s best penalty taker in August last year by ESPN Brasil, he replied: “Gyokeres!”
Perhaps Saka’s status as Arsenal’s first-choice penalty taker is not guaranteed after all.
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