Viktor Gyokeres earned high praise for his performance against Leeds United, just one week after being heavily criticised.
The Swede scored his first two Premier League goals for Arsenal against Leeds, as the Gunners thrashed Daniel Farke’s side 5-0.
Gyokeres scored a trademark goal to get his Premier League tally off the mark, then netted a late penalty, won by Max Dowman.
It was a top performance from the striker, who will now be brimming with confidence ahead of Arsenal’s trip to Anfield on matchday three.
- READ MORE: Alan Shearer thinks Mikel Arteta made crucial change vs Leeds to transform Viktor Gyokeres
Viktor Gyokeres impressed Alan Shearer
Some of the criticism that Gyokeres collected after the Manchester United win was perplexing.
One figure, however, who understood what the £64m signing was about, despite his difficult display at Old Trafford, was Alan Shearer.
Shearer backed Gyokeres to start scoring for Arsenal soon after matchday one, and against Leeds, the pundit watched him do just that.
Despite the 27-year-old netting a superb solo goal and a well-taken penalty, it was something else that Shearer admitted impressed him ‘even more’.
“Do you know what was even more impressive for me was him grabbing hold of the ball and going for the penalty,” Shearer said on The Rest Is Football podcast.
“Love that. Strikers, you’ve got to. What a chance. You are the striker. That is your best possible opportunity to score.
“I’m not sure that he would have had if Saka had been on, then he might not have been on it. But I just thought, yeah, great, go and take the penalty. You’ve already got one.”
After 15-year-old Dowman, who broke a club record against Leeds, won the penalty, some thought the teenager would get the chance to take it, but Gyokeres had one thing on his mind.
Shearer loved the desire Mikel Arteta’s marksman showed to add to his tally on the day, burying the chance so no questions could be asked over his claim to being Arsenal’s penalty taker.
Gyokeres’ penalty record
It’s no surprise that Gyokeres fancied his chances from the spot, as he arrived at Arsenal having boasted a superb penalty-scoring record at Sporting CP.
The forward converted all 19 of the penalties he took last season, adding to his strong career record.
Gyokeres has taken 35 penalties in his career, missing on only four occasions, with his last miss coming 17 months ago.
It might be time for Saka and Martin Odegaard to give up their penalty-taking duties, with the new arrival something of an expert in the department.
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