Potter defends Gyokeres and backs Isak despite criticism

GFX Viktor Gyokeres Alexander Isak

Graham Potter has leapt to the defence of his star striking duo Viktor Gyokeres and Alexander Isak, insisting that both players remain elite talents despite receiving mixed reviews in England. The Sweden head coach, who is preparing for a World Cup campaign after a dramatic qualification play-off, believes the external perception of his forwards doesn’t match the reality of their contributions.

Potter backs his Sweden stars

Potter has praised Gyokeres after the striker helped Sweden secure qualification for the World Cup through a play-off victory over Poland. The Arsenal forward scored four goals across two qualification matches and played a key role in Sweden reaching the tournament. Despite helping Arsenal win the Premier League and reach the Champions League final, Gyokeres has continued to face criticism from some observers. Potter believes those assessments overlook the striker’s overall contribution and importance to both club and country.

Viktor Gyokeres celebration Arsenal goal 2025-26

Potter praises Gyokeres

The Sweden boss praised Gyokeres' qualities, emphasizing his crucial role for both club and country. He also admitted he was surprised by the amount of criticism directed at the Arsenal striker.

"He scored four goals in two games, got us to the World Cup, so his impact is incredible," Potter said, as quoted by The Athletic. “From Arsenal’s perspective, he’s played his role, scored his goals, and the team have won the Premier League and got to the Champions League final.

"He has played most of the games, but he still gets criticism. That’s just the world we’re in, but then you look at him, how much work he does, how he goes about his business, and he’s an incredible character."

Give support to Isak

Potter also defended Isak following a challenging first season at Liverpool. Injuries and the expectations attached to his £125 million transfer have complicated his campaign, but Potter remains convinced of the forward’s quality.

"I think it’s fair to say it probably hasn’t gone as well as he would have liked - and anybody would have liked - but sometimes these things happen," he explained.

"We sometimes assume that when you sign a player, it’s automatically going to improve everything. We know what Alex did for Newcastle, but how does he adapt to what Liverpool want him to do? The player doesn’t change. His quality doesn’t change. It’s just how they interact as a team.

"The injuries have been disappointing for him, but he’s a great, great lad, he wants to play and wants to help his team. Your career can go up and down, but the quality of the person and the quality of the player is undeniable from our perspective."

Alexander Isak

The World Cup is just around the corner

With qualification secured, Potter's attention now shifts to preparing Sweden for the World Cup in North America. Gyokeres and Isak are expected to be their country's mainstays in the tournament, with Sweden drawn in Group F alongside the Netherlands, Japan and Tunisia.