Darren Bent says Viktor Gyokeres could now do something no Arsenal player has done since 1992

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Viktor Gyokeres is set to make his competitive debut for Arsenal on Sunday against Manchester United, and Darren Bent is confident that he’ll thrive this season.

Arsenal signed Gyokeres for £63 million from Sporting CP earlier this summer, with Andrea Berta acquiring the Swede to provide Kai Havertz with cover and competition up front.

Having scored his first goal in red and white against Athletic Club in a pre-season friendly last week, the 27-year-old will be raring to go against the Red Devils.

Gyokeres arrives in N5 with an impressive goal-scoring pedigree, having netted 54 goals in 52 games across all competitions last season.

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Darren Bent tips Viktor Gyokeres to win the Golden Boot

Arsenal scored 17 goals fewer than eventual Champions Liverpool last season in the Premier League.

This is what ultimately cost the Gunners the title, and they’ve looked to address this issue with their summer business, signing one of the most prolific strikers in Europe over the last two seasons.

There are some concerns over Gyokeres and whether he’ll be able to translate his goal-scoring form to the English top flight.

The quality of the defenders in the Premier League and the lack of space they afford attacking players means it’s going to be significantly more challenging for the former Coventry City man than it was in Portugal.

That said, former Tottenham striker Darren Bent has tipped Gyokeres to beat the likes of Mohamed Salah and Erling Haaland to the Golden Boot.

“Viktor Gyokeres,” Bent wrote for the Premier League website when asked for his predicted winner of the accolade.

“Arsenal create so many chances, they just needed someone to finish them off. I think he’s perfect for that.”

While Bent’s optimism will encourage Arsenal fans, the Gunners scored 69 goals from 59.9 expected goals last season (via FBRef), suggesting that creating chances was actually the issue for Mikel Arteta’s team, not finishing them.

However, Gyokeres’ elite movement in and around the penalty box may make creating chances easier for Arsenal.

Arsenal’s Premier League golden boot winners

If Gyokeres does indeed win the Golden Boot, he’ll become the first Arsenal player to do so in his debut season at the club since Ian Wright in the 1991/92 campaign.

Wright scored 29 league goals that season, five of which came for Palace before he moved to North London.

If Gyokeres wins it outright, it’ll be the first time since Harry Kane in 2020/21 that neither Haaland nor Salah has claimed the award.

Salah is currently on four Golden Boots, threatening to overtake Thierry Henry as the most successful player in the award’s history.

Henry is by far the most successful Arsenal goal-scorer in the Premier League era, with only Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Robin Van Persie also winning the Golden Boot in the period since 1992.