Arsenal striker Viktor Gyokeres is struggling at the Emirates Stadium as his Gunners team-mates don’t trust him enough, according to former Premier League forward Troy Deeney.

The north Londoners made a good start to the new season, beating Manchester United and Leeds United in their opening two fixtures, but a 1-0 loss to Liverpool means Mikel Arteta’s side will have to pick themselves up to face Nottingham Forest on Saturday.

Against Liverpool, Arsenal were accused of playing within themselves and failing to take risks after being tipped to cause Arne Slot’s side a lot of problems.

When asked if Arsenal players need to find Gyokeres’ runs more, Deeney said on talkSPORT: “Why are you trying to start me off on this? You’ve just said Arsenal players don’t pass him the ball. Why do you think that is?

“Do you think the midfielders and the players at Arsenal are not good enough to see the runs?”

When asked whether the Gunners players lacked bravery for failing to take on a risky ball, former Watford striker Deeney replied: “Or they don’t trust him.”

READ: Liverpool ‘flop’ Florian Wirtz among Big Six sextet needing to step up after the international break

It was pointed out to Deeney that Gyokeres scored against Leeds United after he ran onto a Riccardo Calafiori lofted ball to bag his first goal for Arsenal.

Deeney added: “What’s happened is, this is the thing that fans get caught up in, they’ll go, ‘Oh he showed you against Leeds, play a ball over the top and he scores’.

“With great respect, he was against Leeds. Played five or six balls over the top and four or five opportunities to put him in against Man United, he made the wrong runs and no-one says anything.

“So I think there’s an element of the players going, ‘We’re not sure’, because I tell you what, when Kai Havertz is fit and plays, they give him the ball.”

MORE ARSENAL COVERAGE ON F365…
👉 Arsenal vs Nottingham Forest predictions, expected line-ups, how to watch and stats
👉 Arsenal: ‘Primary’ reason for Arteta deciding to snub Gunners star revealed amid two weaknesses
👉 Arsenal: ‘100%’ verdict on double deal revealed as ‘offer’ submitted amid ‘hugely positive update’

When put to him that Gyokeres is the type of player Arsenal need up front, Deeney responded: “Yeah, and it’s on him to make the runs and be more deliberate.

“Look, I think the kid is all right. He’s all right. I just don’t think he’s that guy.”

Before continuing: “My point is, we shouldn’t be having these conversations around the striker.

“If it’s the one you guys have got because you’ve identified early, ‘He’s the one for us’, we shouldn’t be having these debates whether he can do it.

“He should be coming in now to get Arsenal over the line. Yet we’re what, two, three weeks in? Obviously it’s very early, but he didn’t score for Sweden in the two [World Cup qualifying] games he was there.

“So he scored in one game for Arsenal, so he obviously got two [goals]. There’s not been a game where you’ve gone, ‘That’s the player’.”

Once again addressing whether his Arsenal team-mates need to find Gyokeres earlier, Deeney added: “Do you think [Bukayo] Saka has the ability to find him earlier? Do you think [Martin] Odegaard has the ability to do it?

“[Eberechi] Eze? [Noni] Madueke? So you think with those four players, they’ve got that. Do you think Declan Rice is [capable] as well?

“So why in the game so far, have we only seen it against Leeds?”