Joe Cole believes Arsenal would be celebrating a Premier League title by now if they had signed Liverpool's Hugo Ekitike instead of Viktor Gyokeres last summer. Can Arsenal bounce back from their recent setback?
Joe Cole has made a bold claim: Arsenal would already be Premier League champions if they had secured Hugo Ekitike from Liverpool instead of Viktor Gyokeres last summer. Both clubs splashed the cash on Swedish forwards in 2025, with Arsenal bringing in Gyokeres for an initial £55 million and Liverpool signing Alexander Isak for a club-record £125 million.
Liverpool also added Ekitike from Eintracht Frankfurt for £69 million. Before his unfortunate Achilles injury last week, Ekitike had a stellar debut season at Anfield, netting 17 goals. Meanwhile, Arsenal's title hopes took a hit with a 2-1 defeat to Manchester City, leaving them just three points clear at the top with City holding a game in hand.
On The Dressing Room Podcast, Cole pointed out that Ekitike could have made a significant difference for Arsenal. He criticized the Gunners for not starting a traditional striker against City, opting instead for two No. 10s, Kai Havertz and Martin Ødegaard. Cole stated, “If Arsenal don’t win anything, they have got that signing wrong. Imagine if Ekitike was signed instead of Gyokeres. I think Arsenal would have won the league by now.”
When comparing the two forwards, their numbers from this season are quite similar. Gyokeres has one more goal than Ekitike, but Ekitike boasts three times as many assists. The stats suggest that while both players contribute, Ekitike's playmaking ability could have provided Arsenal with the edge they needed in crucial moments.
As the title race heats up, it’s worth pondering how different things might look if Arsenal had made a different choice last summer. The pressure is on, and every decision counts in the pursuit of glory.
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Brentford FC
Sun 24 May, 16:00
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Liverpool FC
Fri 15 May, 20:00
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Sat 9 May, 12:30
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Liverpool FC
v
Brentford FC
Sun 24 May, 16:00
Tip: Home Win
Liverpool has a stronger recent form with 3 wins in their last 5 matches compared to Brentford's 4 draws and 1 loss. Additionally, Liverpool's season league form shows they have scored in 89.2% of their matches and have a higher overall win percentage. Brentford's away form is less impressive, with a significant number of matches where they failed to score.
Aston Villa FC
v
Liverpool FC
Fri 15 May, 20:00
Tip: Away Win
Liverpool has shown stronger recent form with 3 wins in their last 5 matches compared to Aston Villa's 2 wins. Additionally, Liverpool's season league form indicates they have scored in 88.9% of their matches and have a higher goals per game average (1.67) compared to Aston Villa (1.39). The odds also favor Liverpool, suggesting they are seen as the stronger side.
Liverpool FC
v
Chelsea FC
Sat 9 May, 12:30
Tip: Home Win
Liverpool has a strong recent form with 3 wins in their last 5 matches and a solid season league form, scoring in 88.2% of their matches. Chelsea, on the other hand, is struggling with 5 consecutive losses. The odds favor Liverpool, indicating confidence in their ability to win.
Liverpool FC
v
Crystal Palace FC
Sat 25 Apr, 15:00
Tip: Home Win
Liverpool has a stronger recent form with 2 wins in their last 5 matches compared to Crystal Palace's 3 wins. Additionally, Liverpool's season league form shows they have scored in 87.9% of their matches and have a solid goal difference. The odds favor Liverpool significantly, indicating market confidence in their victory.
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