Ian Wright has revealed that he noticed something important about the way the Arsenal players and Viktor Gyokeres interacted against Burnley last week.
Gyokeres opened the scoring at Turf Moor, heading home from close range after Gabriel Magalhaes had played the ball across the box from a Declan Rice corner.
The Swede was then forced off at half-time with a muscular injury, which saw him miss the Slavia Prague game and will rule him out of the clash against Sunderland on Saturday.
The strike was the number nine’s sixth of the season, while his 45 minutes on the pitch in Lancashire was arguably his most promising yet in an Arsenal shirt.
Ian Wright says Arsenal’s players were so happy for Viktor Gyokeres when he scored vs Burnley
Gyokeres has faced criticism for some of his performances so far at Arsenal.
The 27-year-old went seven games without scoring between September and October, and this prompted many to question Andrea Berta’s £63 million investment in the player.
However, Gyokeres produced his most encouraging display for the Gunners so far against Burnley, leading the line expertly with his immaculate combination play and tireless running.
The rest of the Arsenal squad clearly appreciate what he’s doing for the team, as they celebrated jubilantly with the Sweden international after he nodded home at Turf Moor.
Ian Wright highlighted this when speaking on the Stick to Football Podcast, claiming that this reaction from the Gunners’ ensemble speaks volumes.
“I think so, when Gyokeres scored that goal the other day, did everybody, did you see them, when they did that, they’re just happy for him because they know what it means,” Wright exclaimed.
The goal celebration was a clear sign of the camaraderie that Mikel Arteta has cultivated in his squad. Gyokeres scoring is crucial to building his confidence, and it’s clear that his teammates recognise this.
Arsenal desperately need Kai Havertz back
Gyokeres showed what he’s capable of when he’s had a rest against Burnley, having not featured in the midweek Carabao Cup clash against Brighton prior to this.
The former Coventry City man relies on his relentless running and movement in behind to cause problems, and he’s less able to maximise this attribute when he’s playing 90 minutes every three days.
However, he’s had to be overused and overburdened with minutes due to Kai Havertz’s injury. The German hasn’t featured since the opening game of the season against Manchester United.
The ex-Chelsea striker will be able to rotate in and out of Arteta’s team with Gyokeres once he’s fit, which should get the best out of both players.
Havertz is expected to return after the international break, meaning Arteta is close to having both centre-forwards available for the first time.
Receive a digest of our best Arsenal content each week direct to your mailbox
