When I said Arsenal doesn’t have fanbase they thought Maybe is because am a Man United legend but that’s the truth,just one game and plastic Arsenal fans are calling for His head,this is so unfair from them,this player deserves more time to blend with the team”, Rio Ferdinand reveals the ONE Arsenal new signing that really deserves Fans support at this moment

Rio Ferdinand Defends Viktor Gyökeres After Tough Arsenal Debut Against Manchester United

Former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand has called for patience with Arsenal’s new striker Viktor Gyökeres, urging supporters and pundits not to rush to judgment after the Swede’s difficult debut at Old Trafford.

The 26-year-old forward, signed this summer after a prolific spell in Portugal, was handed his first start in Arsenal’s 1–0 win over Manchester United. While Riccardo Calafiori’s early header proved enough to secure all three points for Mikel Arteta’s men, much of the post-match focus fell on Gyökeres’ quiet performance leading the line.

A Challenging First Outing

Gyökeres had long been pushing for a move to North London, but his transfer was only finalized in the closing stages of pre-season. Determined to force through the switch, he stopped training with his former club, meaning he arrived at Arsenal short of full fitness and with limited time to integrate into Arteta’s tactical system.

Despite that, he was immediately thrown into the starting XI in one of the Premier League’s most intense fixtures. Arsenal’s defensive game plan at Old Trafford left him isolated, with few chances to showcase his attacking instincts. Given the size of the fee Arsenal paid and his prolific scoring record in Portugal, many supporters were expecting an immediate impact, but instead he endured a frustrating evening.

Ferdinand: “You Can’t Judge After One Game”

Speaking about the criticism aimed at the striker, Ferdinand insisted Gyökeres should not be written off after one match. “I think what Arsenal will ask of him is, when the ball gets into the penalty area, where are you going to find space to score goals and can you execute?” he explained via the Daily Mail.

“How many times do we see that Ødegaard–Saka combination get to the byline, and you just need a number nine to finish that chance off? That’s where he is going to earn his money and that’s how he will be judged. But you have to give someone time and you can’t judge someone after the first game.”

Time to Adapt

Ferdinand’s defense of the striker reflects a broader truth in football: even elite-level forwards often need time to adjust to a new league, style of play, and set of teammates. Arsenal fans only need to look at past examples of big-name arrivals in the Premier League who initially struggled before finding their rhythm.

Gyökeres himself admitted after the match that he found the pace and physicality of the game challenging, but he remains confident that with more training sessions and match minutes, his sharpness and finishing will return. Arteta, too, is likely to persist with him as the Gunners prepare for a grueling season across domestic and European competitions.

For now, the spotlight will remain on Gyökeres as he looks to settle into life at the Emirates. With the creative talents of Martin Ødegaard, Bukayo Saka, and Gabriel Martinelli supplying him, Arsenal’s new No. 9 has every chance to prove that one quiet debut was nothing more than a minor stumbling block at the start of what could be a successful chapter in his career.